By Erika Whittle
| Author Notes | This book is more like a person challenge to start reading the bible again. I will try and add 1 chapter a week. Feel free to keep me accountable. |
By Erika Whittle
A sound like wind, filled the house and tongues of fire came to rest on them. Then they began speaking in different languages. That the holy spirit would be like the wind makes a lot of sense to me. The spirit is never described as something with form but it constantly leaves results. Whether the result is a feeling, speaking to your heart of power, like that of tongues, it always make its presence known in some way. The gift of tongues is something I find interesting because it's like giving back something he had taken away. Genesis 11: 1-9
The Tower of Babel
11 Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. 2 As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.
3 They said to each other, "Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth."
5 But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. 6 The Lord said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."
8 So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city. 9 That is why it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
Now in the new testament, the Lord gives them the ability to speak in languages they did not know, but this time for his purpose. Peter addresses the crowd and quotes the prophet Joel about the pouring of God's spirit. The prophet specifies that the spirit is for ALL people and that it's power takes many forms (prophesy, visions, dreams). This is followed by signs and wonders, all warning of the day when Jesus returns. God took away our unity when it was self-serving and then re-establishes it when it's a tool for salvation.
Peter goes on to quote David's prophecies of the messiah and tells the people they have crucified said messiah. Then it says, "They were cut to the heart" ( vs 37) and they ask what they should do. I think today, most people aren't cut to the heart by this message. We weren't alive back then so we didn't crucify him. But since he died for not only that generation but for all generations, he died for us too. And every sin that made his death necessary is like a nail in his hands or a whip on his back. Peter pleads with the people to "save themselves from this corrupt generation" (vs 40). I really don't think my generation is any less corrupt.
The final paragraph goes onto to describe the early church and revival that is taking place. What stands out to me are the signs and wonders performed, which are proof of the holy spirit. As well as the unity present. They were said to have everything in common and it was all good things. I can't really say that about most groups, including the church. It must have been wonderful, to see with their own eyes what Jesus is like, and know that this was God. I'm rather envious, not that the Holy Spirit isn't great.
| Author Notes |
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: Aren't all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,[b] 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues! 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?" 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine." Peter Addresses the Crowd 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. 22 Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him: I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, you will not let your holy one see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. 29 Fellow Israelites, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was to come, he spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, that he was not abandoned to the realm of the dead, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. 36 Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, for all whom the Lord our God will call." 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. The Fellowship of the Believers 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. |
By Erika Whittle
| Author Notes |
3 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer, at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them.
6 Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Peter Speaks to the Onlookers 11 While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see." 17 Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. 19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you, even Jesus. 21 Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 22 For Moses said, "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. 23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from their people." 24 Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. 25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, "Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed."[b] 26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways. |
By Erika Whittle
In this chapter we see how politics corrupt. Politics hasn't changed much from the past. Rather than rejoicing in a miracle, the religious leaders arrested Peter and John. Pressured by the people and unable to justifiably charge them with anything, the leaders threatened them to stop preaching in Jesus' name. But the disciples declared they would follow God rather than man. The leaders continued their threats but eventually let them go. Upon release, they gathered with their people and prayed to the Lord for courage in spreading his message. Verse 31 says "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."
It is unfortunate that often in the face of power, good is declared evil, simply because it doesn't fit into the desired narrative. Peter and John did something good. They completely changed a man's life. But because they did so in the name of Jesus, rather than the temple, the miracle was condemned by those in power. This is one of many reasons why the opinions of a society may be popular but not morally correct. There is always someone in the background trying to control the narrative. Peter and John were threatened, not because they did something wrong, but because they refused to be controlled. More accurately, their fear of God was greater than their fear of man. Their faith also. They chose to place their faith in Jesus, whom they had witnessed, rather than corrupt governance. It perhaps wasn't the route they had hoped for. Previously some of the disciples had expressed disappointment in Jesus for not entering the political scene. Though that is understandable from a mortal perspective, the goal of Jesus was eternal salvation and not political freedom. It must have been a hard decision, to go against the leaders of their own people, but even in this situation they turned their eyes to God. And God answered them. The gift of the holy spirit is not just about tongues and healing, and the various other supernatural signs and wonders often talked about. The gift of the holy spirit is deeper than that. The greatest gift that the spirit offers is the presence of God, offered both tangibly and intangibly. The spirit moves us, or in this case, shakes us. The spirit gives us courage to be bold in our belief. It's almost like God's support system. No matter what, there is someone in our corner.
I grew up hearing many sermons about revival. I'm not going to lie, the topic sometimes makes my eyes roll. Perhaps it's because I feel we've collectively fallen away from our origins. Unlike the disciples who literally walked with Jesus, we've never met Jesus as a person. We've met him through teaching, through letters, through worship, but quite frankly, that's not the same. To me, Jesus is sometimes something like a penpal, because that's the closest thing I can relate him to. But the early church is different, and in it we see revival in its purest form. Their faith is so great that everything is communal. The individual disappears amongst the needs of the group. It is the absence of selfishness. Honestly, it's something I struggle to understand. But one thing I do know, the early church was a reflection of Christ's beauty.
| Author Notes |
Peter and John Before the Sanhedrin
4 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand. 5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest's family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is "the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone." 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14 But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15 So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16 "What are we going to do with these men?" they asked. "Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. 17 But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name." 18 Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, "Which is right in God's eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." 21 After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had happened. 22 For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old. The Believers Pray 23 On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. "Sovereign Lord," they said, "you made the heavens and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. 25 You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: "Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one." 27 Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. 28 They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. 29 Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. The Believers Share Their Possessions 32 All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33 With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And Godâ??s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34 that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35 and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. 36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), 37 sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet. |
By Erika Whittle
I understand that the story of Ananias and Sapphira seems pretty harsh- I mean, they gave a bunch of money to the church and then God killed them because they lied about the amount. There's some things we need to consider here. They weren't just walking into a regular Sunday morning service. The church at this time is so filled with the holy spirit, with the presence of God, it's akin to a holy sanctuary. It's really hard to understand from a modern mindset, but there were actually a lot of rules when it came to entering the sanctuary of God. There's a whole list in Leviticus of insane rules that make no sense in my mind but are apparently important to God. The point is, they willingly entered a holy place and lied in God's presence. It wasn't their gift that was wrong but their hearts. Peter even said, the property belonged to him and his wife. There was no need to lie about the amount given. There was nothing wrong with keeping part of the profit for themselves. But to lie about, not just to others but in the presence of God, that was what they did wrong. God doesn't take kindly to lying and they paid the price with their lives. Since we live in a democracy, it's hard to really grasp the severity. It's the same as lying to a king, which would definitely get you beheaded back in that day. And the result was the fear of the Lord. Fear can also be related to respect. It's about respecting God's boundaries.
The Lord's anointing was so strong, people would bring their sick in hopes that Peter's shadow might touch them. This is quite similar to the woman that touched Jesus' robe and was healed of her bleeding. It takes the presence of God, plus faith, for a miracle.
The Sadducees, religious leaders of the time, were jealous of the apostles. They, for good reason, were popular among the people and were teaching and healing in Jesus name. Once again they were arrested, but God had different plans. An angel let them out of jail and told them to go to the temple courts and continue preaching the gospel. Obviously, this confused the ones who ordered their arrest. Having not learned their lesson, the religious leaders had them brought to the Sanhedrin (like the supreme court) to be questioned by the high priest. They couldn't forcefully take them because they were afraid of public opinion. Basically, they were greedy cowards who were butt-hurt from having their toes stepped on. And the thing they were most upset about was not the actual teaching but that they didn't want to take the blame for killing Jesus. Peter of course doubled down and basically accused them of killing the messiah. The leaders were furious and wanted to kill them, probably because their pride hurt. However, there was a teacher who was actually just among them (Gamaliel), and he gave examples of uprising that failed because they weren't of God. Then he convinced them to let the apostles go, because if they were with God they would succeed and if they were against God they would fail. Smart man. Unfortunately, the apostles still got whipped before they were let go. I'm glad courts can't do that anymore. The disciples were actually happy to suffer in the name of Jesus and they continued on with their preaching. It might sound a little sacrilegious, but I kind of wonder if they maybe had some survivors guilt.
| Author Notes |
Ananias and Sapphira
5 Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet. 3 Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God." 5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?" "Yes," she said, "that is the price." 9 Peter said to her, "How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also." 10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. The Apostles Heal Many 12 The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon's Colonnade. 13 No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. 14 Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 15 As a result, people brought the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and mats so that at least Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he passed by. 16 Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed. The Apostles Persecuted 17 Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. 18 They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people all about this new life." 21 At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin, the full assembly of the elders of Israel, and sent to the jail for the apostles. 22 But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported, 23 "We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside." 24 On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were at a loss, wondering what this might lead to. 25 Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people." 26 At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them. 27 The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 28 "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," he said. "Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man's blood." 29 Peter and the other apostles replied: "We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead, whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him." 33 When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. 34 But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. 35 Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: "Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. 36 Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. 37 After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. 38 Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. 39 But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." 40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah. |
By Erika Whittle
Okay, so one of my biggest pet peeves in life is bureaucracy. I hate politics and I find that it often goes hand in hand with hypocrisy. However, I am fully aware that within a large group of people, order is a must. Some sort of hierarchy must exist and tasks must be delegated. If there is no organization within a group, many things fall between the cracks. We see this in the early church. It's impossible for the disciples to be in multiple places at once and to deal with every little thing within the church. In this chapter we see the delegation of more humanitarian aid type work being passed on to another group of people. This is the essence of the body of Christ; every person has a part and every part has its place. Individual ego is replaced by the will of God. This is one of the reasons why the early church experienced such immense growth. This system is also like a reflection of the trinity, where God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are one being with three different parts (or roles).
In contrast, the second portion of the chapter gives us the worldly version of politics. In this case, human ego is more important than the will of God, despite the people involved all being religious. Stephen, whom God has blessed with power (miracles) and wisdom, is arrested and brought before the religious council. Thanks to a bunch of background interference from the peanut gallery, false witnessed testify against him. They accuse him of going against the teachings of Moses by spreading the gospel of Jesus.
This is actually amusing to me because in Matthew 17:1-13, Peter, James, and John the brother of James, witness Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah. It says that Jesus transformed before them, his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Fun thing to note is that this experience takes place on top of a mountain. When Moses was leading the Israelites, he talked with God on a mountain. I guess there's a reason mountains are so majestic in our eyes. I envy the experience, but at the same time I don't envy everything it took to get to that mountain top. I think sometimes people forget that.
Another thing that I find interesting is that, miracles aside, Stephen's wisdom reminds me a lot of Solomon. I guess the main difference, other than age, is that Solomon was in a place of political power. I wonder if he had been a regular citizen, if he would have had a similar experience to Stephen. It's intriguing to think about.
Anyway, back to Acts, the chapter ends with everybody present seeing Stephen's face like the face of an angel. I thought this was rather similar to the transfiguration of Jesus. I guess this is what God's glory looks like.
| Author Notes |
The Choosing of the Seven
6 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews[a] among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. Stephen Seized 8 Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people. 9 Opposition arose, however, from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia, who began to argue with Stephen. 10 But they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke. 11 Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, "We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God." 12 So they stirred up the people and the elders and the teachers of the law. They seized Stephen and brought him before the Sanhedrin. 13 They produced false witnesses, who testified, "This fellow never stops speaking against this holy place and against the law. 14 For we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us." 15 All who were sitting in the Sanhedrin looked intently at Stephen, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel. Footnotes Acts 6:1 That is, Jews who had adopted the Greek language and culture |
By Erika Whittle
Since the charges against Stephen were based on more or less straying from the law of Moses, Stephen gives a huge speech about Moses. He speaks to the them of the scripture they hold dear and calls them out on making the same mistakes as their ancestors. It's a very satisfying verbal lashing that did not bode well with the council. Verses 51-53 sum up the state of the temple; foolish people who claim to follow the lord while ignoring the voice of God and persecuting his people.
Unfortunately, pride was once again more important to the religious figures than the word of God. Stephen had a vision of God, with Jesus by his side. That seemed to be the last straw for the council and they dragged Stephen out and stoned him to death. Stephen, like Jesus, also prayed (while dying) that God would forgive the people, despite his unjust death.
Honestly, this is just sad. Stephen is out there doing good things for the people, their people, but instead of helping out they go and kill the man. This is a good lesson for us. Though it's unlikely that we'd go out and kill someone to cover up our mistakes, a lack of self-reflection is destructive. Refusing to take a good look inside one's self is a disserve to oneself and to those around. One moment of self-reflection could have completely changed the story. But no, it's easier to play the victim in your own story than to accept you might be the villain. It's easier to blame others than to accept responsibility for your actions. Here is the essence of self-righteous behavior; sin in pretty packaging. I guess you could also call it gas-lighting and these people are professions at it.
Side note, Saul is briefly mentioned in this chapter and he becomes an important figure later on. His story is what happens when you do have the courage to accept you might be wrong. The Bible is real balanced that way.
| Author Notes |
Bonus chapter! My other work will be slowing down on releases so I figured I'd do an extra chapter for this one.
Stephen's Speech to the Sanhedrin 7 Then the high priest asked Stephen, "Are these charges true?" 2 To this he replied: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me! The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham while he was still in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Harran. 3 "Leave your country and your people, God said, and go to the land I will show you." " 4 "So he left the land of the Chaldeans and settled in Harran. After the death of his father, God sent him to this land where you are now living. 5 He gave him no inheritance here, not even enough ground to set his foot on. But God promised him that he and his descendants after him would possess the land, even though at that time Abraham had no child. 6 God spoke to him in this way: "For four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own, and they will be enslaved and mistreated. 7 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves," God said, "and afterward they will come out of that country and worship me in this place." 8 Then he gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision. And Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him eight days after his birth. Later Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs. 9 "Because the patriarchs were jealous of Joseph, they sold him as a slave into Egypt. But God was with him 10 and rescued him from all his troubles. He gave Joseph wisdom and enabled him to gain the goodwill of Pharaoh king of Egypt. So Pharaoh made him ruler over Egypt and all his palace. 11 "Then a famine struck all Egypt and Canaan, bringing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food. 12 When Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our forefathers on their first visit. 13 On their second visit, Joseph told his brothers who he was, and Pharaoh learned about Joseph's family. 14 After this, Joseph sent for his father Jacob and his whole family, seventy-five in all. 15 Then Jacob went down to Egypt, where he and our ancestors died. 16 Their bodies were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had bought from the sons of Hamor at Shechem for a certain sum of money. 17 "As the time drew near for God to fulfill his promise to Abraham, the number of our people in Egypt had greatly increased. 18 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. 19 He dealt treacherously with our people and oppressed our ancestors by forcing them to throw out their newborn babies so that they would die. 20 "At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child.[d] For three months he was cared for by his family. 21 When he was placed outside, Pharaoh's daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. 22 Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action. 23 "When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his own people, the Israelites. 24 He saw one of them being mistreated by an Egyptian, so he went to his defense and avenged him by killing the Egyptian. 25 Moses thought that his own people would realize that God was using him to rescue them, but they did not. 26 The next day Moses came upon two Israelites who were fighting. He tried to reconcile them by saying, "Men, you are brothers; why do you want to hurt each other?" 27 "But the man who was mistreating the other pushed Moses aside and said, "Who made you ruler and judge over us? 28 Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?" 29 When Moses heard this, he fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons. 30 "After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. 31 When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to get a closer look, he heard the Lord say: 32 "I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob." Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look. 33 "Then the Lord said to him, "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. 34 I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt." 35 "This is the same Moses they had rejected with the words, "Who made you ruler and judge?" He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself, through the angel who appeared to him in the bush. 36 He led them out of Egypt and performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea and for forty years in the wilderness. 37 "This is the Moses who told the Israelites, 'God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your own people.' 38 He was in the assembly in the wilderness, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; and he received living words to pass on to us. 39 "But our ancestors refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. 40 They told Aaron, 'Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him!' 41 That was the time they made an idol in the form of a calf. They brought sacrifices to it and reveled in what their own hands had made. 42 But God turned away from them and gave them over to the worship of the sun, moon and stars. This agrees with what is written in the book of the prophets: " 'Did you bring me sacrifices and offerings forty years in the wilderness, people of Israel? 43 You have taken up the tabernacle of Molek and the star of your god Rephan, the idols you made to worship. Therefore I will send you into exile, beyond Babylon.' 44 Our ancestors had the tabernacle of the covenant law with them in the wilderness. It had been made as God directed Moses, according to the pattern he had seen. 45 After receiving the tabernacle, our ancestors under Joshua brought it with them when they took the land from the nations God drove out before them. It remained in the land until the time of David, 46 who enjoyed God's favor and asked that he might provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built a house for him. 48 "However, the Most High does not live in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says: 49 "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be? 50 Has not my hand made all these things?" 51 You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit! 52 Was there ever a prophet your ancestors did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him, 53 you who have received the law that was given through angels but have not obeyed it." The Stoning of Stephen 54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 "Look", he said, "I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." 57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep. |
By Erika Whittle
In the previous chapter we were introduced to Saul. In this chapter, the first verse is that Saul approved of killing Stephen. Not only does he approve, but he makes it his mission to destroy the church. Forget door to door sales, this man is doing door to door citizens arrest. Man or woman, it doesn't matter, if they loved Jesus it was off to jail. As such, the early church scattered. Though unfortunate for them, it ended up being a good thing for the places they ran to. Those who were scattered, preached wherever they went. They didn't just hide. They might have run away but they were still in full recruit mode.
Philip went to Samaria and preached the gospel there. It was surprisingly we received. Much like current events, the Jews and Samarians didn't get along. Samaria would have been located in modern day Palestine. So it's pretty monumental that they were receptive to Philip. And it was with good reason, as Philip didn't just preach; he healed, exorcised evil spirits, and brought joy to their city. Rumors spread, and as a result, they sent in the big guns (John and Peter) to join Philip in Samaria.
Now there was a man named Simon, who was a sorcerer. I don't know if he was actually tapping into something supernatural or if he was like a modern day magician. Anyways, he had a bunch of followers, or fans, and was called 'the great power of god'. Regardless, he witnessed the miracles Philip preformed and was amazed and started following him around (now he's the fan). Simon, was one of the people that heard the gospel, believed, and was baptized.
Now, different from Philip, who was preaching and performing miracles with the power of the holy spirit, Peter and John came to baptize people with the spirit, who were previously only baptized with water. This caught the attention of Simon and Simon was ambitious. He offered Peter and John money, not just for the abilities but also for the ability to pass it on to others. And then he promptly got his butt handed to him by Peter, who gave him a severe tongue lashing.
I low-key feel bad for this guy. Like Peter, I'm pretty sure that this was coming from a place of sin, most likely greed. However, I partially think he just didn't understand the difference between the Holy Spirit and whatever he was doing before. He mostly likely thought that this was just an improved version of what he had been doing. So even though I understand the reprimand, I still pity him. Simon even asked Peter to pray to God so Peter's words about him wouldn't come true. At the end of the day, the disciples are also just people. Perhaps this wasn't the best way to handle the situation but honestly, only God knows. I hope that Simon came to understand what Peter meant and that he grew in his faith instead of walking away from it.
Now this last portion is super exciting for me, and anyone who's a sci-fi fan will probably agree. An angel came and told Philip to go to a specific road heading to Gaza. Lo and behold, he meets a eunuch on the path who is struggling to understand the scripture he is reading. He invites Philip on to the carriage to help him understand the scripture. Philip explains not only that passage, but also about Jesus. He must have explained real well, because they pull up to a body of water and the man gets baptized. Right after the baptismal, the Holy spirit teleports Philip to Azotus and he just continues on his way, preaching. So cool! That precious eunuch was literally gifted a God moment. God told Philip where to go to meet him, and then just spirited him away when the job was done! God didn't even make him walk. He was like, 'okay, now I need you here', plop! Oh man, this chapter is so great.
| Author Notes |
8 And Saul approved of their killing him.
The Church Persecuted and Scattered On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. 2 Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. 3 But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison. Philip in Samaria 4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city. Simon the Sorcerer 9 Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, 10 and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, 'This man is rightly called the Great Power of God.' 11 They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. 12 But when they believed Philip as he proclaimed the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Simon himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. 14 When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to Samaria. 15 When they arrived, they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money 19 and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! 21 You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. 23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin." 24 Then Simon answered, "Pray to the Lord for me so that nothing you have said may happen to me." 25 After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages. Philip and the Ethiopian 26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road-the desert road-that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means 'queen of the Ethiopians'). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it." 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. 31 "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth. 34 The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized" [37] 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea. |
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