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Understanding Big Concepts
Today is another sermon in Acts, this one from Paul. Rather than focusing on the sermon, which is deals heavily with the history of Israel, I want to focus on the response. The Jews totally reject the message here, and so the evangelists move on to speak to the Gentiles. I mentioned this a bit before, but I wanted to spend some time again on this idea that the Jesus is the Messiah first for the Jew, then the Gentile. This is a big and somewhat difficult concept for us to understand in the modern world, so far removed from the time of the early Church. Keep your eye on this concept, because you'll see a transition in Acts from focusing mainly on Jews to focusing on Paul's ministry with Gentiles. Read was NIVAC has to say:
"The Jews probably did not expect to see nearly the whole city there on that day (v. 44). Their jealousy is aroused, and they oppose Paul’s next message with abusive talk (v. 45). Paul and Barnabas respond to this by stating what became a feature of their ministry and of Paul’s theology: They preach to the Jews first, but if their response is unworthy of eternal life, they go to the Gentiles (v. 46). Paul backs that step from the Scriptures (v. 47). While he would have spoken with confidence on this occasion, this phenomenon of Jewish rejection of the gospel hurts him deeply and inflames his desire to yearn and pray for their salvation (Rom. 9:1–3; 10:1).
In Romans 9–11 Paul uses his great theological skill for a profound exploration of the implications of and reasons for this rejection. In fact, a part of Romans 9–11 is in some ways an exposition of Acts 13:47. The receptivity of the Gentiles was remarkable, considering the fact that the imperial cult (public worship of the emperor) was strong in Antioch." [1] (emphasis mine)
We'll definitely be dealing with this in more detail in Romans 9-11, but as I said, keep this in mind because we'll be seeing a big shift in Acts based on this concept.
Understanding Big Concepts
Today is another sermon in Acts, this one from Paul. Rather than focusing on the sermon, which is deals heavily with the history of Israel, I want to focus on the response. The Jews totally reject the message here, and so the evangelists move on to speak to the Gentiles. I mentioned this a bit before, but I wanted to spend some time again on this idea that the Jesus is the Messiah first for the Jew, then the Gentile. This is a big and somewhat difficult concept for us to understand in the modern world, so far removed from the time of the early Church. Keep your eye on this concept, because you'll see a transition in Acts from focusing mainly on Jews to focusing on Paul's ministry with Gentiles. Read was NIVAC has to say:
"The Jews probably did not expect to see nearly the whole city there on that day (v. 44). Their jealousy is aroused, and they oppose Paul’s next message with abusive talk (v. 45). Paul and Barnabas respond to this by stating what became a feature of their ministry and of Paul’s theology: They preach to the Jews first, but if their response is unworthy of eternal life, they go to the Gentiles (v. 46). Paul backs that step from the Scriptures (v. 47). While he would have spoken with confidence on this occasion, this phenomenon of Jewish rejection of the gospel hurts him deeply and inflames his desire to yearn and pray for their salvation (Rom. 9:1–3; 10:1).
In Romans 9–11 Paul uses his great theological skill for a profound exploration of the implications of and reasons for this rejection. In fact, a part of Romans 9–11 is in some ways an exposition of Acts 13:47. The receptivity of the Gentiles was remarkable, considering the fact that the imperial cult (public worship of the emperor) was strong in Antioch." [1] (emphasis mine)
We'll definitely be dealing with this in more detail in Romans 9-11, but as I said, keep this in mind because we'll be seeing a big shift in Acts based on this concept.
[1] Ajith Fernando, Acts, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998), 388.
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