Atos 13
Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 13
Cole points out that Paul "starts with facts that every Jew would have known and agreed with: God chose the patriarchs; He delivered their descendants from Egypt; He gave them the land of Canaan; and, He chose David as their king (13:17-22). In all of this rehearsal of Israel’s history, Paul’s very words are almost taken directly from the Old Testament (F. F. Bruce). Up through Acts 13:22, every head in the synagogue was nodding in agreement with Paul. Then Paul skips the rest of Israel’s history and jumps from David to David’s descendant, Jesus, proclaiming Him to be the fulfillment of God’s promise of a Savior (13:23). Perhaps observing a ripple of shock sweep through the room, Paul quickly goes back to John the Baptist, the forerunner of whom Malachi prophesied. Since John was highly regarded in most Jewish circles, Paul shows that John did not regard himself as Messiah, but rather affirmed that he was not worthy to untie the sandals of the one coming after him." (Acts 13:13-41 The God Who Keeps His Promise) Now Paul makes the transition from David to the "son of David," the "greater David," the greater King, the King of kings! God had promised that the Messiah would come from the root of Jesse, David’s father, Isaiah recording... Then (this follows Isa 10:33-34 with the Lord cutting down...the idea is one of progression...THEN...) a shoot (MESSIAH) will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch (MESSIAH) from his roots will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him (MESSIAH), The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD....10 Then in that day The nations (GENTILES) will resort to the root of Jesse (Will be fully fulfilled in the Millennium), Who will stand as a signal for the peoples; And His resting place will be glorious.(Isaiah 11:1-2, 10+) From the descendants of this man, according to promise - This man is emphatic (at beginning of the Greek sentence) and refers to King David. Thus we see that while Paul does not directly quote the passage in which God makes this promise, he clearly alludes to it. And what was the promise? God had promised King David “When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom....Your house and your kingdom shall endure before Me forever; your throne shall be established forever.”’(2 Sa 7:12,16) This is referred to as the Davidic Covenant. Paul jumps almost 1000 years forward to the first century. Paul's argument is that Jesus, the descendant of David, is the ultimate Davidic King, the prophesied Branch and Root of Jesse (Isa 11:1), the Savior of Israel. Steven Ger writes that "Through the establishment of the Davidic covenant, God had prepared Israel for the Messiah's coming. In fact, the fifteenth of the eighteen benedictions contained in the Amidah (ED: The Shemoneh Esreh the “Eighteen Benedictions,” “Blessings,” or “Prayers”), corporately recited by the congregation earlier in the service, explicitly prays for the coming of this Messiah, reading, Speedily cause the Branch of your servant David to flourish. Exalt his horn (ED: SYMBOLIZES POWER) by your salvation, Because we hope (ED: WAIT) for your salvation all the day. Blessed are you, O Lord, Who causes the horn of salvation to flourish. Comment: See the prayers of the Amidah on an orthodox Jewish site and note Prayer 14. Notice also the repetition of the designation "horn." This is fascinating as Luke records an identical phrase in the declaration of Zacharias (Lk 1:67, 68) "And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant." (Luke 1:69+) In context what is "a horn of salvation?" Without a doubt, this is the Messiah! In fact the well-done paraphrase, the New Living Translation actually reads "He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David." And so the irony is that the Jews in the synagogue were in effect praying for the Messiah, the "Horn of Salvation," Who had already come! According to promise (see 2 Sa 7:12,16 above) - God's Word is full of promises, but this promise is the apex of all of His promises, the gift of a Savior, Jesus. 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 - The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham. see also Mt 1:20-21, Ro 1:3, 2 Ti 2:8). Other promises... Psalm 132:11 The LORD has sworn to David A truth from which He will not turn back: “Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne (fully fulfilled in the Millennium). Jeremiah 23:5-6 “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “When I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; And He will reign as king and act wisely And do justice and righteousness in the land. 6 “In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely (This fulfillment awaits the Millennium); And this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD our righteousness.’ Jeremiah 33:15+ ‘In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. Promise (1860)(epaggelia/epangelia from epí = intensifies verbal meaning + aggéllo = to tell, declare) literally means to "tell at or upon" and originally referred to an announcement or declaration (especially of a favorable message) (Acts 23:21). In other words the first sense of epaggelia is that of a declaration to do something which came to be associated with the implication of obligation to carry out what is stated thus giving us the meaning of a promise or a pledge. Walter Kaiser makes the interesting statement that "Almost every NT use of the word promise (epaggelia) points back to the OT." In Scripture, epaggelia refers primarily to God's pronouncements that provide assurance of what He intends to do. Jesus used epaggelia of the Holy Spirit declaring " behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” (Lk 24:49+) Luke's uses of eppagelia - Lk. 24:49; Acts 1:4; Acts 2:33; Acts 2:39; Acts 7:17; Acts 13:23; Acts 13:32; Acts 23:21; Acts 26:6; God has brought (ago) to Israel a Savior, Jesus - Note the first word is God. Just as Paul has been describing God's sovereignty over the events in the nation of Israel, now he reaches the climax in God's gift of Jesus. Notice that he says God brought Jesus to you, to the nation of Israel! Here Paul does not say God has brought Jesus to the world (which of course He did - cf John 3:16, etc), but to Israel. Further, Paul describes His function for Israel, to be their Savior. The same God Who saved Israel out of bondage in Israel, is the same God Who sends a Savior to rescue Israel out of their bondage to sin. The argument is somewhat of a lesser (saved from Egypt) to a greater argument (saved from sins). This passage fulfills a similar promise in Zechariah 3:8 "Behold, I am going to bring (Lxx = ago, same "brought" in Acts 13:23) in My Servant the Branch (Messiah)." And so here Paul proceeds to identify the "descendant" of David (2 Sa 7:12), declaring that God kept His promise. The promise was a Savior and His Name was Jesus. Notice "has brought" is past tense, so that Paul is saying in essence that the prophecy God promised to David has now been fulfilled in Jesus, Whose very Name means the One Who saves. Larkin - Paul both tempers and heightens the Jewish hope. He avoids the use of Messiah, with its connotations of a purely political deliverer. He indicates that the liberation is much greater, for God is its source, bringing the final salvation according to the Old Testament (Is 49:6, 8; 45:21–22; compare Ps 27:1; 89:26; Lk 1:69; 2:11; Acts 5:31; 13:26). (IVP Commentary - Acts 13:1--21:16 Paul's Missionary Journeys) Paul Apple rightly says "It’s all about Jesus – that is who we are presenting to people This is what Paul wants to drive home." Savior (4990)(soter from sozo = rescue from peril > from saos = safe; delivered) refers to the agent of salvation or deliverance, the one who rescues, delivers, saves and preserves. It is somewhat surprising that this is the only place recorded in Acts where Paul called Jesus “Savior.” Luke's only other use of soter in Acts is Acts 5:31 "He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins". Greeks used soter as a title of divinities such as Asclepius, the god of healing. Soter was used by the mystery religions to refer to their divinities. At an early date soter was used as a title of honor for deserving men, e.g., Epicurus (300BC) was called "soter" by his followers. The Romans looked upon their emperor as a "savior" in that he held mankind together under the great Roman power, providing peace and order, prosperity and protection. In the Cult of Caesar, the state religion of Rome, the emperor was actually known as the "Saviour of the world" (at least 8 Roman emperors carried this title)! In contrast was the Lord Jesus Who was worshiped as the Saviour God. The Caesars ruled over the temporal affairs of their subjects and were one of their gods. The latter was Savior who saved the believer’s soul from sin and exercised a spiritual control over his life. To recognize Jesus as the Saviour of the world instead of the Emperor was a capital offense and a blow at the very heart of the Roman Empire and explains the reason for the bloody persecution of Christians. Willard Hotchkiss, pioneer missionary in Africa said "I have dwelt forty years practically alone in Africa. I have been thirty-nine times stricken with the fever, three times attacked by lions, and several times by rhinoceri; but let me say to you, I would gladly go through the whole thing again, if I could have the joy of again bringing that word “Savior” and flashing it into the darkness that envelops another tribe in Central Africa." That is what I call "devotional zeal!" From the descendants of this man (David)...Jesus - Historically speaking Jesus was the descendant or offspring of King David. Prophetically, Jesus was the fulfillment of all the OT prophecies of the coming Messiah. Jesus (2424)(Iesous) is transliteration of the Greek Iesous, which in turn is the transliteration of the Hebrew name Jehoshua (Yehoshua) or Jeshua (Yeshua) which mean Jehovah is help or Jehovah is salvation. Stated another way the Greek Iesous corresponds to the OT Jehoshua (Yehoshua) which is contracted as Jeshua(Yeshua). We see the meaning of Jesus clearly in the first use in the NT where the angel says to Joseph "“She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Mt 1:21) In Acts 13:6 we met "Bar-Jesus" (Son of Jesus, Son of salvation), which emphasizes an important point - Satan is a counterfeiter and he is good at what he does, which is why saints need to know the Word of Truth in order to discern error (cf Heb 5:14). Are you letting the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, daily (Col 3:16, Mt 4:4)? Bob
Atos 13
Cole - When we share the gospel, we engage the enemy of souls in spiritual combat, so we must be prepared for spiritual battle. 1. When we share the gospel, we engage the enemy of souls in spiritual combat. Note three tactics of the devil: The devil holds people in spiritual blindness. The devil uses deceit, fraud, and opposition to righteousness to carry out his evil designs. The devil uses selfish motivation to keep people in spiritual deception. 2. We must be prepared to do spiritual battle. To do spiritual battle, be filled with the Holy Spirit. To do spiritual battle, confront false prophets or spiritual error when you sense the Spirit’s prompting. To do spiritual battle, reach out to those who show an interest in the things of God. To do spiritual battle, present the teaching of God’s Word on the gospel clearly. When you do spiritual battle, do not mistake opposition or apathy to the message as failure on your part. Acts 13:7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. (NASB95) KJV Acts 13:7 Which was with the deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God. who was with the proconsul Sergius Paulus Acts 13:12; 18:12; 19:38 a man of intelligence Acts 17:11,12; Pr 14:8,15,18; 18:15; Hos 14:9; 1 Th 5:21 Acts 13 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries SERGIUS THE SEEKER Who was with the proconsul - Who refers to Bar-Jesus from the previous passage. The phrase "was with" is interesting as the verb was is in the imperfect tense signifying Elymas was frequently (over and over, again and again) in the company of the proconsul and the preposition with is the Greek word sun/syn not meta, the former describing a closer relationship than meta. Sergius Paulus was the proconsul (see discussion below) of the Roman senatorial province of Cyprus. Senatorial provinces were led by the proconsul and imperial provinces were led by a governor (like Pilate in Palestine). Ramsay - A Greek inscription of Soloi on the north coast of Cyprus is dated “in the proconsulship of Paulus,” who probably is the same governor that played a part in the strange and interesting scene now to be described.
Atos 13
Cole - The sermon falls into three parts, each beginning with Paul’s direct address to the congregation: The promise given (Acts 13:16-25); the promise kept (Acts 13:26-37); and, your response (Acts 13:38-41). We have here only a synopsis of what undoubtedly was a much longer message. His main idea is: God’s promise to send a Savior and His fulfillment of that promise in sending Jesus demands a response. (Acts 13:13-41 The God Who Keeps His Promise) Gaebelein - The discourse of the Apostle contains three parts. A historical retrospect, which forms the introduction of his address. Acts 13:17-25. The proclamation of the Gospel of the Son of God. Acts 13:26-39 The solemn warning. Acts 13:40-41. Daniel DeSilva (article) has the following Outline of Paul's Sermon: THE HISTORICAL NARRATION (Acts 13:16–25) THE PRESENTATION OF THE KERYGMA (Acts 13:26–31) THE ARGUMENT FROM SCRIPTURE (Acts 13:32–37) THE CONCLUSION OF THE SPEECH (Acts 13:38–41) John
Atos 13
Cole explains why the Jews did not recognize Jesus as their Messiah - They were looking for a political Messiah who would deliver them from Rome’s domination. Surely, he would be a great soldier or statesman. He would be trained in the rabbinic schools. He would come from a prominent family and have prestige and influence in society. Jesus had none of these and so they did not recognize Him. (Acts 13:13-41 The God Who Keeps His Promise) Recognizing neither (did not recognize)(50)(agnoeo from a = not + noéo = perceive, understand) not have information about, to not know, to not understand (Mk 9:32, Lk 9:45), to be unaware of, to not recognize (Ac 13:27), to be ignorant of (to lack information concerning something). Agnoeo conveys the nuance of lacking the ability to understand in He 5:2 and of inexcusable moral/ethical ignorance (even disregard) in Ro 10:3). Jack Arnold explains why they did not recognize Jesus but actually rejected Him - First, they rejected Him because they did not recognize Him. He had no money, no influence: no standing in the community. He was not formally educated in the university and was only a carpenter’s son. The Jews were looking for a great political deliverer as Messiah, and Christ did not meet their requirements. Even when he performed miracles and spoke great words never seen or heard before in Israel, they would not recognize Him. They had a moral problem and they hated the truth of Christ. Sin blinded their eyes to the truth of Messiah. Second, they rejected Christ because they did not understand the Scriptures. Every Sabbath they heard the Scriptures taught from the Old Testament but did not grasp the spiritual meaning of them (ED: Read Lk 16:29, Jn 5:45, 46, Lk 24:27, Lk 24:44. Some Jews did recognize Him - Jn 1:45). The reading and listening to the Bible had become mere ritual for these people; there was no heart in it at all. Had the Jews understood the Bible, they would have accepted Christ as Messiah (Paul's First Recorded Sermon) ED: ARNOLD MAKES AN INTERESTING STATEMENT. I AM NOT SURE I TOTALLY AGREE. IT WAS NOT JUST A PROBLEM OF THEIR MINDS - FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE, BUT EVEN MORE A PROBLEM OF THEIR HEARTS - FAILURE TO RECEIVE. cf Jn 1:11, notice the parable Lk 20:14,15 - John
Atos 13
Cole - We live in a day that scoffs at the thought of God’s judgment. Even many who profess to know Christ say, “My God is a God of love, not a God of judgment.” But what matters is not how you speculate God to be, but rather, how He has in fact revealed Himself in His Word. Some who claim to be evangelical theologians argue that hell will not be eternal punishment. Rather, they say that God will annihilate the wicked after they have served an appropriate sentence. While appealing to the flesh, that view contradicts the very words of Jesus, who quoted Isaiah, that hell will be a place “where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched” (see Mark 9:42-48). Just as eternal life is forever, so eternal punishment is forever (Matt. 25:46). The God who keeps His promises is also the God who carries through with His warnings! Paul’s sermon gives abundant evidence that God faithfully kept His gracious promise to send Jesus as the Savior of all who will believe in Him. The word of this salvation is sent to you (13:26). Through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you (13:38). Through Him everyone who believes is justified in God’s sight (13:39). But also, all who scoff at Him or ignore Him “will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power” (2 Thess. 1:9). Remember, Paul was speaking here to a religious audience. Everyone present believed in God. But they needed personally to put their trust in His promise of salvation through Jesus Christ so that the words of His warning did not come upon them. (Acts 13:13-41 The God Who Keeps His Promise) Acts 13:42 As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people kept begging that these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath. KJV Acts 13:42 And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. the people kept begging Acts 10:33; 28:28; Ezekiel 3:6; Matthew 11:21; 19:30 Acts 13 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries A POSITIVE RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL Larkin summarizes Acts 13:42-52 as "The Aftermath: Division, Rejection, Withdrawal, Progress." As Paul and Barnabas were going out - What a scene as the two missionaries exited the synagogue. Going out (1826)(exeimi from ek = out + eími = to go) means to go out of a place (Acts 13:42, Acts 27:43). In the sense of to go away, depart out of a place (Acts 17:15; 20:7). Exeimi - 4x - Acts 13:42; Acts 17:15; Acts 20:7; Acts 27:43. In Septuagint only in Ex 28:35. The people kept begging - Interesting that in Acts 13:15 it was the synagogue officials who "invited" but now it is the people. The imperfect tense gives a vivid picture of the people asking again and again -- they begged and begged Paul to share more about the forgiveness of sins which is in Jesus. They were heathens who had become sick of the immoralities and injustices of their society, for their empty religions had left them empty. And now their hearts had been touched by the Gospel Paul proclaimed and the Holy Spirit was working in their hearts (cf Jn 16:7-11), stirring them to crave forgiveness of sins (Acts 13:38) and being freed from all things (Acts 13:39). Begging (imploring) (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. They were hungry for God desired to hear more. They were too convicted, too drawn to Christ and the hope of forgiveness. They had to hear. That these things might be spoken to them the next Sabbath - What things? The "Words of eternal life" that he had learned from Jesus (cf Jn 6:68). THOUGHT - There are many who are ignorant of the Scriptures, who know little about what we preach. They did not have Christian parents, nor have they ever been exposed to genuine Christian believers. They just have never had the opportunity and exposure to the gospel that some of us have had. Because of this, their hearts are fertile and soft to the gospel. When they hear the truth, the Holy Spirit is able to convict and convert them much more easily then He is a gospel-hardened heart. THOUGHT - This is great encouragement to the witnessing believer. It should challenge every one of us to get to the task, for the world is full of such people. They may be steeped in religion, but they are ignorant of the truth about Christ. They are soft and ready to respond, to hear more and more of the glorious truth that Jesus saves, forgives, and justifies (Acts 13:23, 38, 39). (POSB) Acts 13:43 Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up, many of the Jews and of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them, were urging them to continue in the grace of God. (NASB95) KJV Acts 13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. the God-fearing proselytes Acts 2:10; 6:5 followed Acts 17:34; 19:9 were urging them Acts 11:23; 14:22; 19:8; 28:23; John 8:31,32; 15:5-10; 2 Corinthians 5:11; 6:1; Galatians 5:1; Philippians 3:16; 4:1; Colossians 1:23,28; 1 Thessalonians 3:3-5; Hebrews 6:11,12; 12:15; 2 Peter 3:14,17,18; 1 John 2:28; 2 John 1:9 to continue in the grace of God Acts 14:3; Romans 3:24; 5:2,21; 11:6; Galatians 5:4; Ephesians 2:8; Titus 2:11; Hebrews 13:9; 1 Peter 5:12 Acts 13 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries EXCITEMENT OVER THE GOOD NEWS Now when the meeting of the synagogue had broken up - Broken up is the first word in the sentence for emphasis. Broken up (3089)(luo) has the basic meaning of loose and in this context clearly is figuratively describing the "breaking up" of the crowd which was dismissed or dispersed. Many of the Jews - Note many but not all. And of the God-fearing proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas, who, speaking to them - Clearly they followed not to persecute Paul and Barnabas but because they had begun to trust in the word of God, the Gospel that Paul had proclaimed. God-fearing (4576)(See also discussion of sebo below) - The addition of the term proselytes would identify these Gentile God fearers as those who had taken the next step and been circumcised and baptized and made sacrifices. Some Gentiles such as Cornelius (Acts 10:2) were God-fearers but not proselytes.
Atos 13
Cole - Sinners who have been saved by God’s grace are filled with the joy of salvation. They extol Him for His goodness and love. His praises are continually in their mouths, as they sing, “O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together” (Ps. 34:3). “Exalted be the God of my salvation” (Ps. 18:46). Paul exults in God’s salvation in Ephesians 1:3-6. God’s glory is the beauty of His perfect attributes, and that glory shines supremely at the cross, where His perfect love and justice meet. Thus as we glory in His salvation, we will be filled with joy and want others to know and glorify Him. God’s glory should be our supreme motive in sharing the gospel.
Atos 13
Cole writes that when people see many as had been appointed they often "draw an erroneous conclusion. They say, “If God elected some to salvation, then they’re going to get saved no matter what. So why should we have to share the gospel with them?” The answer is, Because God ordained that the means by which His elect get saved is the preaching of the gospel. In 2 Timothy 2:10, Paul says, “For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen [the elect], so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory.” Paul suffered all of the beatings, imprisonments, hardships, and abuse that he went through so that God’s elect would obtain salvation. The message that we proclaim is the gospel." Eternal life (cf Acts 5:20; 11:18) - What a striking contrast with Acts 13:46 where the "Gospel rejecters" judged themselves "unworthy of eternal life. In a sense they will experience eternal life, but tragically it will be in Hell not Heaven, and it will be eternal ruin and loss in contrast to eternal reward and bliss for believers! Homer Kent on appointed and believed - “Once again the human responsibility of believing is shown to coincide exactly with what God in his sovereignty had planned.” Robertson on appointed and believed - It was saving faith that was exercised only by those who were appointed unto eternal life, who were ranged on the side of eternal life, who were thus revealed as the subjects of God’s grace by the stand that they took on this day for the Lord. It was a great day for the kingdom of God. Ray Stedman exhorts us "Now do not turn that around. That does not say, "and as many as believed were ordained to eternal life." You see, Paul began this message by showing them that God was active, trying to reach out to men. It is not men who are trying to find God; it is God who is trying to find men. And when men believe, they are simply responding to the activity of God who is already reaching out to them. Here were many who were ordained of God, and when they were thus ordained, they believed, they responded to God. You can never get away from this wonderful, mysterious combination of divine sovereignty and human responsibility." As Stanley Toussaint writes "It is difficult to miss the doctrine of God's election here." THOUGHT - C H Spurgeon made the following statement that applies to the doctrine of election - We all have one blind eye, and too often we are like Nelson in the battle, we put the telescope to that blind eye, and then protest that we cannot see. I have heard of one man who said he had read the Bible through thirty-four times on his knees, but could not see a word about election in it; I think it very likely that he could not; kneeling is a very uncomfortable posture for reading, and possibly the superstition which would make the poor man perform this penance would disqualify him for using his reason; moreover, to get through the Book thirty-four times, he probably read in such a hurry that he did not know what he was reading, and might as well have been dreaming over “Robinson Crusoe” as the Bible. He put the telescope to the blind eye. Many of us do that; we do not want to see a truth, and therefore we say we cannot see it. (From God's Will and Man's Will) Jon Courson adds an interesting thought - Election makes me a little bit wiser as a worker. It is the wise servant who prays, “Lord guide me to those You have already elected. Guide me to the place where You have already put it in someone’s heart to turn to You.” Appointed (KJV = ordained)(5021)(tasso) means to bring about an order of things by arranging or putting in place (Acts 15:2). In Classical Greek tasso was a military term to place in orderly arrangement, to “enroll” or “appoint." It came to have a variety of meanings such as, to appoint or order someone to a task, to put into proper order. Priests were appointed as supervisors and judges. Clearly in the present context tasso refers to the doctrine of predestination. In this verse, the perfect tense pictures a past completed action with present ongoing effect or result and so could be translated "Have been appointed and the appointment remains in force." Or perhaps better "those who were in a state of appointment to eternal life believed."