212-4 - ACTS 21-28
Reading Assignment. D. Kelly Ogden, “Jesus and the Temple,” Ensign, Apr 1991 ...
I. Paul's journey from Miletus to Jerusalem; Coos, Rhodes, Patara, Tyre, (7 days-1st warning about going to Jerusalem), Tyre, Ptolemais, Caesarea (Philip and Agabus- 2nd warning) vs. 13, vs. 15 carriages, vs. 16- other translations are more clear; they brought us to the house if Mnason-an early disciple.
II. Paul meets with church leaders and reports on mission (21:20)
II. Paul’s receives complaints from the Jews (21:21-40)
A. Accused of leading Jews from the Law of Moses
B. Paul returns to temple and tries to show that he respects the Law
C. Accused falsely of taking a Gentile into the temple. " The outer court of the Temple was called the Court of the Gentiles. It was from this court that Jesus had cast out the moneychangers. Non-Jews were allowed only this far onto the Temple Mount. Surrounding the Temple proper was a balustrade. (Hebrew, soreg), an elevated stone railing about 4 1/2 ft. high with inscriptions posted in both Greek and Latin warning Gentiles not to pass beyond. One of these inscriptions was found in 1935... It read, 'No Gentile shall enter inward of the partition and barrier surrounding the Temple, and whosoever is caught shall be responsible to himself for his subsequent death." (Ogden p. 102)
D. Rescued from Jews by Claudius Lysias, the chief captain of the garrison who mistook him for an Egyptian Jew who had led an insurrection of the Jews against Rome. He was forced into hiding and the captain thought he had come back. Wrong guy-It was Paul. (Josephus)
E. Receives permission to speak to Jews from Antonia Fortress - Hebrew Ha Metzad (same word as Masada) The Antonia Fortress was a military barracks built by Herod the Great in Jerusalem on the site of earlier Ptolemaic and Hasmonean strongholds, named after Herod's patron Mark Antony. The fortress was built at the eastern end of the great wall of the city (the second wall), on the northeastern side of the city, near the temple and Pool of Bethesda.
III. Paul preaches to Jews
A. Recounts story of his conversion
B. The Jews listen until he says that he was sent to the Gentiles. (V. 21-22)
C. Saved from scourging by his Roman citizenship
D. Before Sanhedrin (23:1-10)
1. Doesn’t recognize High Priest Ananias
2. Divides Sanhedrin with reference to resurrection (23:6-10)
E. Lord appears to Paul and promises him a trip to Rome (11) 3rd appearance
IV. Vow to kill Paul and Escape to Caesarea (23:12-33)
V. Paul before Felix, Festus and Agrippa (23:34-26:32)
A. Tertullus, representing Ananias and the Sanhedrin, accuses Paul of 1)Sedition, 2)being a ringleader of the Nazarenes (a name of the followers of Jesus of Nazareth) and 3) profaning the temple
B. Paul defends himself (23:10-23)
C. Paul in prison for two years at Caesarea (24-27)
D. Festus replaces Felix (24:27-25:6) V
Vs. 28-29 - "Agrippa's remark was not a flippant one; he was seriously touched" (Maxwell "Taking Up the Cross," p. 255) The Revised Standard Version of the Bible says, "In a short time you think to make mea a Christian!" and Paul said, "Whether short or long, I would to God that not only you but also all who hear me this day might become such as I am-except these chains." (Ogden p. 108-9)
E. Paul before Festus, appeals to Caesar (25:7-12)
F. Paul before Agrippa (25:13-26:32)
VI. Paul sails for Rome (27:1-28:31) about 2000 miles
A. Sails from Caesarea to Malta, where they are ship wrecked (27:1-44) Vs. 9 "the fast is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. After this date, between September and October of each year, the waters were unsafe for travel until weather moderated again early the next spring. Paul warned them against continuing the journey." (Ogden p. 110) Vs. 14 -A Euroclydon is today called a "levanter, a small-scale hurricane or cyclone.
B. Paul preaches and heals on Malta for 3 months (28:1-11)
C. Paul imprisoned in Rome ((28:12-31)
Paul’s 1st imprisonment 61-63 AD - We don’t know why he waited so long for trial, He was visited by many friends Although the Apostle Paul is a prisoner, he is allowed in Rome to live by himself guarded only by a Roman soldier (Acts 28:16). He is able to receive visitors and continues to preach of the Gospel (Acts 28:17-31). Paul also has the opportunity to speak with Jewish religious leaders in Rome (Acts 28:17-29). In Rome the Apostle Paul is acquitted of the charges against him and is set free. Wrote Colossians, Ephesians, Philemon & Philippians (The Captivity Epistles)
Spring 63 A.D. Paul is acquitted of all charges against him and is set free. He sails from Rome to the island of Crete in order to meet with Titus (Titus 1:5). Paul leaves Titus in Crete (Titus 1:5) and sails to Nicopolis in Macedonia (Titus 3:12). From Nicopolis Paul writes the New Testament books of 1Timothy and Titus. Paul may have gone to Spain (Romans 15:22-25, 28) and less likely Britain and then visited Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae. 2 Timothy was written during the 2nd Imprisonment which was from 67-68 In 68 AD he was beheaded. His Roman citizenship saved him from being crucified. The Apostle Paul is put to death by beheading, under Roman Emperor Nero, around May or June of 68 A.D. Paul's death occurs just before Nero's suicide on June 9, 68 A.D. in Greece. Nero is the first emperor of the Roman Empire to actively persecute and kill Christians. Rome will carry out at least TEN major efforts to exterminate Christians and expunge Christianity from the empire. The persecutions first start under Nero in 67 A.D. and continue until 313 A.D., when Emperor Constantine's Edict of Milan legalizes Christianity and ends Rome's persecutions. At the time of his martyrdom the apostle Paul was about sixty-six (66) years old. |
