Atos 9
Ray Stedman · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 9
Stedman comments - Paul is converted. Now he is a Christian. And what is the first thing he experienced as a Christian? The life of the body of Christ. That is wonderful, is it not? Two unknown, obscure Christians are sent to him. He meets them and is immediately helped by the strengthening that can come from the body, from other Christians. First there is a man named Judas. That is all we know about him. Saul is led to his house whom he has never met before. While he is there a man named Ananias is sent to minister to him. Is there not a joyful, poetic irony about this, that the Holy Spirit has chosen two names which are tainted names elsewhere in the New Testament, Judas and Ananias. These names belong to two other people: Judas the betrayer of our Lord; and Ananias, the first Christian to manifest the deceit and hypocrisy of an unreal life. Yet, here are two people, bearing the same names, that are honored and used of God. It is just a little touch, but it seems so much like the Holy Spirit to use names like this. These men come and minister to Paul. (Acts 9:1-19 Beloved Enemy) (Bold added) Tarsus (5018)(tarseus) was "chief city of Cilicia (MAP - southern Turkey on coast), the southeastern portion of Asia Minor. It lay on both banks of the river Cydnus, in the midst of a fertile alluvial plain, some 10 miles from the seacoast. About 6 miles below the city the river broadened out into a considerable lake called Rhegma (Strabo xiv. 672), which afforded a safe anchorage and was in great part fringed with quays and dockyards. The river itself, which flowed southward from the Taurus Mountains with a clear and swift stream, was navigable to light craft, and Cleopatra, when she visited Antony at Tarsus in 38 BC, was able to sail in her richly decorated barge into the very heart of the city (Plut. Ant. 26)....Such was Tarsus, in which Paul was born (Acts 22:3) and of which he was a citizen (Acts 9:11; Acts 21:39). Its ancient traditions and its present greatness explain and justify the pride with which he claimed to be "a citizen of no mean city" (Acts 21:39)....it is certain that the character of his native city, its strong oriental element, its Greek constitution and speech, its position in the Roman Empire, its devotion to learning, must have made an impression upon one who, uniting Jewish nationality with membership of a Greek state and Roman citizenship, was to be the great interpreter to the Greco-Roman world of a religion which sprang from the soil of Judaism. How long Paul remained at Tarsus before beginning his studies in Jerusalem we cannot say. His own declaration that he was "born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city" (Acts 22:3) seems to show that his training at Jerusalem began at an early age....During his first visit to Jerusalem after his conversion, plots were formed against his life, and he was induced to return to Tarsus (Acts 9:30), where, according to Ramsay's chronology, he remained for some 8 years (SOME COMMENTARIES SAY AS LONG AS 10 YEARS). Thither Barnabas went to seek him when he felt the need of a helper in dealing with the new problems involved in the growth of the Antiochene church and the admission into it of Gentiles in considerable numbers (Acts 11:25). Tarsus is not again mentioned in the New Testament, but Paul doubtless revisited it on his second missionary journey, when he "went through Syria and Cilicia" (Acts 15:41), and traveled thence by way of the Cilician Gates into Lycaonia, and again at the beginning of his third journey when, after some time spent at Antioch, "he departed, and went through the region of Galatia, and Phrygia, in order" (Acts 18:23 )." (Excerpt from lengthy article in ISBE on Tarsus) Tarsus was one of three cities in the Roman Empire with a major university, Athens and Alexandria being the other two cities. Tarsus is used 5x only in Acts - Acts 9:11, 30, Acts 11:25, Acts 21:39, Acts 22:3. For he is praying - Behold is unfortunately omitted by the modern translations, but is in the text. Luke is arresting our attention, saying in essence "Check this out." Here is a man who as a zealous Pharisee would have spent hours each day in prayer, all of which were based on ritual and tradition. The prayers of unsaved men never rise higher than the ceiling (cf Ps 66:18, Isa 1:15). The verb used for praying (proseuchomai) "gives it the idea of definiteness and directness in prayer, with the consciousness on the part of the one praying that he is talking face to face with God." (Wuest) This was something Saul had never experienced in his praying as a Pharisee. One is reminded of the unregenerate Jews today who stand in front of "Wailing Wall" rocking back and forth, but their prayers have the same effectiveness as did those of the unregenerate Saul. Warren
Atos 9
Stedman - There were no tongues, no sign, no manifestation; there was simply a quiet infilling of the Holy Spirit, just as occurs today with anyone who believes in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit came to live in him, to dwell within him to fill his life and equip him to manifest the love, the suffering love, of Jesus Christ. (Beloved Enemy | Acts 9:1-19)
Atos 9
Stedman applies this passage - Something can interrupt the progress of a spiritual life which is beginning to blossom, to flourish and bear fruit, to grow and minister to others. Some circumstance, some event or experience, can interrupt and change it and cause it to die. The person loses that zeal, earnestness, and eagerness, and becomes cold and hard, indifferent and unconcerned, bitter of spirit. He literally is like someone dead. A lot of people are like that. Some have been dead for years and are still walking around. (ED: cf spiritual death of non-believers Eph 2:1+) That reminds me of the famous comment by Dorothy Thompson, the newspaper reporter, when she heard of the death of Calvin Coolidge. She said, "How could they tell?" Many are like that. Their life of service has been interrupted by some incident which has been like the hand of death laid upon a zealous and earnest ministry. They have grown cold and indifferent, the very picture of death. This can go on for years. Edwin Markham, the great Christian poet, once knew a banker whom he entrusted with the settlement of an estate. The banker betrayed him, and Markham lost all his money and was rendered penniless by the deed. It made him bitter and for several years he could write no poetry. Then one day as he was trying to write he was sitting at his desk aimlessly scrawling circles. As he doodled, making these circles, suddenly the thought struck him of the great circle of God's love, of how it takes us in. He was struck with inspiration and wrote these words: I drew a circle and shut him out; Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But Love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle that took him in. He forgave the banker and was able to resume his ministry. After that came some of his greatest poems. This is what Jesus Christ can do. He can heal a dead spirit, raise it to life and restore it. He can heal the bitterness that may be in your life, rendering you cold and indifferent to the needs of others. (Acts 9:32-10:23 The Cure For Death) Acts 9:38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, the disciples, having heard that Peter was there, sent two men to him, imploring him, "Do not delay in coming to us." (NASB: Lockman) KJV 9:38 And forasmuch as Lydda was nigh to Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent unto him two men, desiring him that he would not delay to come to them. Lydda Acts 9:32,36 imploring him 2 Ki 4:28-30 Acts 9 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries PETER'S PROFITABLE JOURNEY TO JOPPA Since Lydda was near Joppa (Josh 19:46, 2 Chr 2:16; Ezra 3:7; Jonah 1:3) - See map showing Lydda which lies from 9-11 miles inland from Joppa which is on the coast, and about half a day's journey on foot. The disciples, having heard that Peter was there - How did they hear? Since the distance was only 9-11 miles, a healthy person could have walked to Joppa in less than half a day. Presumably a disciple conveyed the news of Peter's presence and the miracle. You can count on it -- when God is at work in a place among a people, the work will spread of His presence and power! Remember also that all in Sharon turned to the Lord (Acts 9:35) and Sharon was not a city but described a large region (see note), so some of these new believers may have spread the news to Joppa. Steven Ger - Yet again, this is unmistakable confirmation that in the first decades of the church age, only the apostles and their immediate associates were enabled to perform signs and wonders. The community of believers in Joppa was simply not equipped by God for miracles. It was not that they lacked faith that God could raise the dead; they exhibited their faith by summoning Peter. They knew that if there were any chance of such a miracle, they would need an apostle. The ability to perform signs, wonders and miracles was the divine validation of those with genuine apostolic authority, "the signs of a true apostle" (2 Cor. 12:12). Time was of the essence. According to Jewish law, a dead body outside of the confines of Jerusalem may remain unburied at most for three days and nights. Once Tabitha had died, it would have taken half a day's journey to reach Peter and then another half-day's journey back (ED: LYDDA WAS ABOUT 10 MILES AWAY - ON FOOT ONE COULD TRAVEL THAT DISTANCE IN HALF A DAY). This would allow for Peter to get from Lydda to Joppa, but with no margin for delay. (Twenty-First Century Commentary-Acts) Sent two men to him, imploring him, "Do not delay in coming to us -This was an urgent matter that needed immediate response, but Luke gives us no record that the disciples actually asked Peter to perform a miracle. Perhaps they did but that is conjecture. What is fascinating is that the disciples express a sense of urgency, and yet Dorcas was already dead. While we have no records of the apostles restoring a dead person, clearly the disciples at Joppa must have believed Peter might be able to perform a miracle in the case of Dorcas. As disciples, they would have been aware that Jesus had restored Lazarus from the dead, and since Peter was His disciple, he might do the same. Jack Arnold adds that "it took great faith for the Christians to send for Peter. They could have said, “What is the use for Dorcas is already dead.” Yet, they believed that Peter could raise Dorcas from the dead (ED: POSSIBLY THIS IS WHAT THEY BELIEVED - WE CANNOT BE DOGMATIC)." (The Miracle Worker) Imploring (present tense)(3870)(parakaleo from para = side of, alongside, beside + kaleo = call) means literally to call one alongside, to call someone to oneself, to call for, to summon. Parakaleo can include the idea of giving help or aid but the primary sense in the NT is to urge someone to take some action, especially some ethical course of action. Sometimes the word means convey the idea of comfort, sometimes of exhortation but always at the root there is the idea of enabling a person to meet some difficult situation with confidence and with gallantry. Clearly in this context parakaleo conveys the urging of the the two disciples to take the action of following them back to Joppa. Delay (3635)(okneo) means to hesitate, to be slow to respond, to hold back from doing something. Liddell-Scott says "to shrink from doing, to scruple, hesitate to do a thing, I shrink from being called, fear to be called, Soph.; I shrink from naming, hesitate to name, Dem.; to shrink, hesitate, hang back, Hdt., Soph., etc." Okneo is only here in the NT, but is found in Nu 22:16 and Jdg 18:9. Samuel Rutherford - The Useful are Sometimes Snatched Unexpectedly Away - With many it is ebb water before the tide be at full. The lamps of their lives are wasted almost as soon as they are lighted. The sand of their hourglass is run out when they think it is but newly turned. But success before God depends not on the duration of one's life. The husbandman may pluck his roses and gather his lilies at midsummer, and he may transplant young trees out of the lower ground to the higher, where they have more of the sun. The goods are his own. The heavenly Husbandman makes no mistakes. Acts 9:39 So Peter arose and went with them. When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room; and all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing all the tunics and garments that Dorcas used to make while she was with them. (NASB: Lockman) KJV 9:39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and shewing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them. and all the widows stood beside him Acts 9:41; 8:2; 2 Sa 1:24; Pr 10:7; 1 Th 4:13 weeping and showing all the tunics and garments Acts 9:36; 20:35; Job 31:19,20; Pr 31:30,31; Mt 25:36-39; 26:11; Mark 14:8; John 12:8; 2 Cor 8:12; Eph 4:28; 1 Th 1:3; James 2:15-17; 1 John 3:18 Dorcas used to make while she was with them Eccl 9:10; Mt 17:17; Luke 24:44; John 17:12 Acts 9 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries PETER FINDS A WASHED CORPSE AND WEEPING CHRISTIANS So Peter arose and went with them - Arose is the same verb anistemi used of Aeneas' arising, the same verb used of Jesus rising from the dead (Lk 24:7, 46+, Jn 20:9, Acts 2:32). In fact anistemi is used 7x in Acts 9 (Acts 9:6, 11, 18, 34, 39, 40, 41) As an aside anistemi is used by far most often in the book of Acts... Acts 1:15; Acts 2:24; Acts 2:32; Acts 3:22; Acts 3:26; Acts 5:6; Acts 5:17; Acts 5:34; Acts 5:36; Acts 5:37; Acts 6:9; Acts 7:18; Acts 7:37; Acts 8:26; Acts 8:27; Acts 9:6; Acts 9:11; Acts 9:18; Acts 9:34; Acts 9:39; Acts 9:40; Acts 9:41; Acts 10:13; Acts 10:20; Acts 10:23; Acts 10:26; Acts 10:41; Acts 11:7; Acts 11:28; Acts 12:7; Acts 13:16; Acts 13:33; Acts 13:34; Acts 14:10; Acts 14:20; Acts 15:7; Acts 17:3; Acts 17:31; Acts 20:30; Acts 22:10; Acts 22:16; Acts 23:9; Acts 26:16; Acts 26:30 When he arrived, they brought him into the upper room - Upper rooms are found three times in Acts. The first upper room was in Acts 1:13 where all the apostles were staying and continually devoting themselves to prayer with a gathering of about 120 persons (Acts 1:14-15). It was there that they selected Matthias to replace Judas (Acts 1:23-26). In Acts 20:8-11 Paul was talknig to a group in the upper room and Eutychus fell down from the third floor and was picked up dead. Paul went down (Acts 20:10) fell upon him, embraced him and Eutychus returned to life. Paul went back up to the upper room and celebrated communion and talked with them until daybreak. In the OT Elijah (1Ki 17:19-24) took the woman's dead son to an upper room and the child was revived. In the Gospels Jesus shared the last supper with His disciples in the upper room (Lk 22:12+, Mk 14:15). And all the widows stood beside him, weeping - The widows were not just silently weeping but were were wailing, mourning for the dead disciple Dorcas (cf Mt 2:18, Jn 11:31, 33). While professional mourners were often hired to "mourn" when a Jew died, there is little doubt that these women were professional mourners but mourning out of a sense of loss of this wonderful, grace filled woman. Kistemaker - John