BRUCE C WEARNE, in his series on Acts, looks at how a vision encouraged Paul to “not be silent”…
When Silas and Timothy finally arrived from Macedonia, Paul was completely occupied with preaching, testifying boldly to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they stood against him with their personal insults, he [made plain his intention], shaking out his robes [against them], said, “So be it. Your blood be upon your own heads! I am [declared] innocent [because I have given you due warning]. I will henceforth go to the Gentiles.” And he departed [the synagogue] and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshipper of God; his house was just next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, [also] believed in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptised. And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man’s attack shall harm you; for I have many people in this city.” And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. – Acts 18:5-11
VISION FROM GOD: God spoke a word of encouragement to Paul in a vision, telling him not to be afraid and to continue sharing the Gospel. PICTURE: Createsima/www.freeimages.com
IN A NUTSHELL
After some time Silas and Timothy arrived. There were many disappointments and Paul also needed Jesus’ encouragement
In this section of Luke’s account – of how the churches were planted in Corinth and Ephesus – Paul, Apollos, Priscilla and Aquila are presented to us within a rich fabric of a growing church. The sequence of events is not too clear. We’re not sure what Luke is trying to say, and maybe he also was not too sure of the sequence of the events he describes. But he had some knowledge of what happened, and tells what he knew as best he could.
All week, and every Sabbath, Paul was busy commending his message to the Jews of Corinth. He reminded them that their promised Messiah was for all peoples. No amount of opposition would stop God fulfilling His promises. Paul would do what the law and prophets required. To give up on any one group would be to fail in his calling, to effectively embrace unkindness in the face of God’s kindness to all people despite their failings. And when it came to knowing about his own failings, Paul knew that all too well. And Paul knew what the Lord had said to Ezekiel about his accountability. He was under the prophet’s constraint to demonstrate his repentant obedience to the Lord under the constraint of the Lord’s warning (Ezekiel 33:1-9).
When Jewish opposition blocked his contribution to the synagogue he went and stayed with a Gentile right next door! He kept himself accessible. And Crispus, the synagogue ruler, was a believer. His other name (or perhaps it may have been the name of his successor in that post) was Sosthenes, the co-author of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. I guess Luke wants us to know that Paul was exhausted, worn down by the opposition. The reactions of his fellow Jews affected his nerves. He missed Silas and Timothy. He needed their support and companionship. Prisca and Aquila were his good friends, but their trade required them to travel.
It seems Paul, distressed by the opposition, had to endure long periods working on his own. He longed for his fellow countrymen and women to receive the blessings, mercy, grace and love of Jesus. But instead, they jealously attacked him. He was wounded as he “shook out his garments” and “brushed the sand from his shoes.” Clearly, when he took his leave of them, his comments expressed his great heartache: “From now on you’ll find me if you want me taking the Gospel to Gentiles”.
This had came to a head a short time after Silas and Timothy turned up. They had been busy encouraging the believers in Athens. And Luke tells us that at this time the encouragement of Jesus Himself got through to Paul, giving him strength to stay another 18 months. This was another of the many things Jesus did after ascending to His Father’s right hand side. Paul had staying power. For Luke, this event reiterated the teaching of Jesus recorded in his gospel: “You are not to fear, my little flock. For it is the Father’s good pleasure to bequeath to you His kingdom” (Luke 12:32).
OPEN BOOK – HINTS FROM THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS: “YOU ARE NOT TO FEAR, PAUL!”
BRUCE C WEARNE, in his series on Acts, looks at how a vision encouraged Paul to “not be silent”…
When Silas and Timothy finally arrived from Macedonia, Paul was completely occupied with preaching, testifying boldly to the Jews that the Christ was Jesus. And when they stood against him with their personal insults, he [made plain his intention], shaking out his robes [against them], said, “So be it. Your blood be upon your own heads! I am [declared] innocent [because I have given you due warning]. I will henceforth go to the Gentiles.” And he departed [the synagogue] and went to the house of a man named Titius Justus, a worshipper of God; his house was just next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, [also] believed in the Lord, together with all his household; and many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptised. And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but speak and do not be silent; for I am with you, and no man’s attack shall harm you; for I have many people in this city.” And he stayed a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. – Acts 18:5-11
VISION FROM GOD: God spoke a word of encouragement to Paul in a vision, telling him not to be afraid and to continue sharing the Gospel. PICTURE: Createsima/www.freeimages.com
IN A NUTSHELL
After some time Silas and Timothy arrived. There were many disappointments and Paul also needed Jesus’ encouragement
In this section of Luke’s account – of how the churches were planted in Corinth and Ephesus – Paul, Apollos, Priscilla and Aquila are presented to us within a rich fabric of a growing church. The sequence of events is not too clear. We’re not sure what Luke is trying to say, and maybe he also was not too sure of the sequence of the events he describes. But he had some knowledge of what happened, and tells what he knew as best he could.
All week, and every Sabbath, Paul was busy commending his message to the Jews of Corinth. He reminded them that their promised Messiah was for all peoples. No amount of opposition would stop God fulfilling His promises. Paul would do what the law and prophets required. To give up on any one group would be to fail in his calling, to effectively embrace unkindness in the face of God’s kindness to all people despite their failings. And when it came to knowing about his own failings, Paul knew that all too well. And Paul knew what the Lord had said to Ezekiel about his accountability. He was under the prophet’s constraint to demonstrate his repentant obedience to the Lord under the constraint of the Lord’s warning (Ezekiel 33:1-9).
When Jewish opposition blocked his contribution to the synagogue he went and stayed with a Gentile right next door! He kept himself accessible. And Crispus, the synagogue ruler, was a believer. His other name (or perhaps it may have been the name of his successor in that post) was Sosthenes, the co-author of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. I guess Luke wants us to know that Paul was exhausted, worn down by the opposition. The reactions of his fellow Jews affected his nerves. He missed Silas and Timothy. He needed their support and companionship. Prisca and Aquila were his good friends, but their trade required them to travel.
It seems Paul, distressed by the opposition, had to endure long periods working on his own. He longed for his fellow countrymen and women to receive the blessings, mercy, grace and love of Jesus. But instead, they jealously attacked him. He was wounded as he “shook out his garments” and “brushed the sand from his shoes.” Clearly, when he took his leave of them, his comments expressed his great heartache: “From now on you’ll find me if you want me taking the Gospel to Gentiles”.
This had came to a head a short time after Silas and Timothy turned up. They had been busy encouraging the believers in Athens. And Luke tells us that at this time the encouragement of Jesus Himself got through to Paul, giving him strength to stay another 18 months. This was another of the many things Jesus did after ascending to His Father’s right hand side. Paul had staying power. For Luke, this event reiterated the teaching of Jesus recorded in his gospel: “You are not to fear, my little flock. For it is the Father’s good pleasure to bequeath to you His kingdom” (Luke 12:32).
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