Atos 9
J. Vernon McGee · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 9
Vernon McGee has a pithy personal application of Acts 9:4 commenting that Christ "may be saying the same thing to some Christians today. Although they profess to know and to love the Lord, He asks, "Why are you persecuting Me?" They would protest, I'm not persecuting You, Lord; I love You!" Then the Lord would answer, "Then why do you criticize Mr. So-and-So so severely? Why are you so opposed to those who are giving out the Word of God today? Why is it that you have become a hindrance instead of a helper?" May I say to you, we must be careful about saying we love Him and then showing our hatred to other believers. It is impossible to talk about loving the Lord while you spend your time trying to destroy the ministry of someone else. That is just blatant, bald, bold hypocrisy." (Acts 9 Commentary) John MacArthur makes the interesting observation that "There is an Old Testament parallel to this truth (ONENESS OF JESUS WITH BELIEVERS). Zechariah told the nation of Israel, "He who touches you, touches the apple of [God's] eye (Zech 2:8). The apple of His eye" refers to the pupil. God was saying those who persecute Israel are poking their finger in His eye. That is precisely the same kind of relationship Christ has with the church. He is seriously irritated when anyone offends His chosen ones (cf Mt 18:6, 10). (Ashamed of the Gospel: When the Church Becomes Like the World). It is interesting to recall the advice of Saul's mentor Gamalial (a teaching Saul seems to have ignored!). Recall that the Sanhedrin were so furious with the convicting message of Peter and the apostles (Acts 5:30-32+) that they "were intending to slay them." (Acts 5:33+). In this heated atmosphere Gamaliel "stood up in the Council" and warned them to "stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God.” - (Acts 5:38-39+) This is in essence what Jesus declares that Saul is doing by persecuting His disciples! Kistemaker adds that "The cautionary message not to oppose God, advocated by Paul’s teacher, Gamaliel, now confronts Paul in stark reality. The martyred Stephen, the persecuted Christians driven from Jerusalem, the believers jailed by Paul—all these people are represented by Jesus Christ. Accordingly, Paul has been fighting against Jesus and has lost the battle." (Baker NT Commentary-Acts) (ED: Are you fighting against Jesus in any area of your life?) Related Resource: Study of Jesus Our Covenant Defender Covenant Oneness-Two Become One Flesh Covenant: Oneness Notes Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratories in Tennessee believe spinach may help cure some forms of blindness. When they extract certain proteins from this deep green vegetable and add them to retinal nerve cells, tests indicate the cells react to light in ways that could give formerly blind people black-and-white vision. As part of photosynthesis, these spinach proteins send an electrical impulse in response to light, which is what is needed for sight as well. To heal Paul from his temporary blindness, God didn't use spinach; instead, He sent His servant Ananias not only with healing but also with a prophetic message. The Difference Jesus Makes Read: Acts 26:1-18, 27-32 I would to God that . . . all who hear me today, might become . . . as I am. —Acts 26:29 Throughout history, people have treated others with unbelievable cruelty in the name of religion. They have often done so without feelings of remorse or guilt. Muslims and Christians have fought “holy wars” against one another, which have been anything but holy. And within their own ranks, so-called Christians have persecuted other Christians. Like Saul of Tarsus before he became Christ’s apostle to the Gentiles, they think they are doing God a service when actually they are persecuting Jesus (Acts 9:4). When I first learned about the atrocities committed in the name of religion, my boyhood confidence in the Christian faith was shaken. I didn’t dare tell my parents about my misgivings, so I talked to the Lord about it. He led me to notice what happened in Paul’s life. As a powerful member of the Pharisees, Saul (the Hebrew name of Paul) thought he was pleasing God by persecuting Christians. Then he met Jesus (Acts 9:1-19). From then on, he peacefully sought to bring even his enemies to Christ. It’s not Christ’s way to force His will on us. Neither should we force our will on others. As we put God’s ways into practice, we’ll find we can love those with whom we disagree. That’s the difference Jesus makes! Thinking It Through How did Jesus react to Peter's attempt to defend Him with a sword? (Jn. 18:10-11). What did Jesus say should be our attitude toward our enemies? (Mt. 5:43-48). No force is greater than the power of God's love. Surprise Interview Read: Acts 26:9–15 The King will say, “I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!” Matthew 25:40 nlt On a crowded London commuter train, an early morning rider shoved and insulted a fellow passenger who got in his way. It was the kind of unfortunate and mindless moment that usually remains unresolved. But later that day, the unexpected happened. A business manager sent a quick message to his social media friends, “Guess who just showed up for a job interview.” When his explanation appeared on the Internet, people all over the world winced and smiled. Imagine walking into a job interview only to discover that the person who greets you is the one you had shoved and sworn at earlier that day. Saul also ran into someone he never expected to see. While raging against a group called the Way (Acts 9:1–2), he was stopped in his tracks by a blinding light. Then a voice said, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” (v. 4). Saul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The One speaking to him replied, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts 26:15). When we help or hurt one another, Jesus takes it personally. Years earlier Jesus had said that how we treat the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, and the prisoner reflects our relationship to Him (Matt. 25:35–36). Who would have dreamed that when someone insults us, or when we help or hurt another, the One who loves us takes it personally? Father, forgive us for acting as if You were not present in our moments of need, hurt, anger, or compassion. When we help or hurt one another, Jesus takes it personally. QUESTION - What happened on the road to Damascus? What is a road to Damascus experience? Watch Video ANSWER - The events that happened on the road to Damascus relate not only to the apostle Paul, whose dramatic conversion occurred there, but they also provide a clear picture of the conversion of all people. While some have an extraordinarily dramatic conversion known as a “Damascus Road experience,” the conversion of all believers follows a similar pattern of Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus, described in Paul’s own words in Acts 9:1–9; Acts 22:6–11; and Acts 26:9–20. Putting the three accounts together, the details of this amazing experience come together. Paul, who went by the name of Saul at that time, was on his way to Damascus with a letter from the high priest of the temple in Jerusalem giving him authority to arrest any who belonged to “the Way,” meaning those who followed Christ. So intent was he on “opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 26:9) that in “raging fury,” he breathed “threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord.” Here was a man who truly hated Christ and all who were associated with Him. Suddenly a bright light shone on Saul, causing his entire party to fall to the ground. Then Jesus spoke to Saul, asking him, “Why are you persecuting me?” in a voice understood only by him. Saul recognized that this was a deity of some sort because he called Him “Lord” and asked who He was. When Jesus identified Himself as the very One Saul had been persecuting, one can only imagine the terror that filled Saul’s heart. Saul was speechless, no doubt thinking to himself, “I’m a dead man.” The Acts 22 version of the story indicates that Saul’s response was to ask what Jesus wanted him to do. The Acts 9 and Acts 22 retellings of the story have Saul saying Jesus told him to rise and go to Damascus where he would be told what to do. In the Acts 26 story, which is longer and more detailed, Saul describes Jesus’ commission of him as His messenger to the Gentiles (which must have amazed Saul, the ultimate Gentile-hating Pharisee), to turn many from darkness to the light and from the power of Satan to God. His message of forgiveness of sins and “a place among those who are sanctified by faith” must have also astonished Saul because the Jews were convinced they alone had the place of honor in God’s eyes. There is no discrepancy or contradiction among these three accounts. Even though Saul received his commission from Jesus on the road, he still had to go into Damascus and be told what to do—meet with Ananias who laid hands on him, receive the Holy Spirit, be baptized, and be received by the disciples there (Acts 9:15–16, 19; 22:12–16). At Damascus, he also went for three days without eating or drinking, and then received his sight, which had been taken from him on the road. The phrase “Damascus Road experience” is used to describe a conversion which is dramatic and startling. Many people receive Christ in a life-changing, instantaneous experience, although many others describe their conversion as more of a gradual understanding of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. But both types of experiences have several things in common. First, salvation is of the Lord, by His will and according to His plan and purpose (Acts 22:14). As He does one way or another to each of us, Jesus made it clear to Saul that he had gone his own way for long enough. Now he was to become an instrument in the hands of the Master to do His will as He had foreordained it. Second, the response of both Saul and all those who are redeemed by Christ is the same: “What do you want me to do?” Like Saul, we do not bargain, negotiate, question, or come halfway. The response of the redeemed is obedience. When God truly touches our hearts, our only response can be, “Lord, may your will be done and may you use me to do it.” Such was the experience of Saul on the Damascus Road. Saul’s dramatic conversion on the road to Damascus was the beginning of an incredible journey. And while not all conversions are as startling as Saul’s, each of us is commissioned by Jesus to live in obedience to Him (John 14:15), love one another in His name (1 John 2:23), “know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,” (Philippians 3:10), and tell the world of the wonderful riches in Christ. GotQuestions.org Acts 9:5 And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" And He said,"I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, (NASB: Lockman) KJV Acts 9:5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. (NOTE - WORDS IN BOLD ARE NOT IN THE MORE MODERN MANUSCRIPTS. THIS PHRASE HOWEVER IS FOUND IN Acts 26:14). Who are You, Lord1 Sa 3:4-10; 1 Ti 1:13 you are persecuting Acts 5:39; Dt 32:15; Job 9:4; 40:9,10; Ps 2:12; Isa 45:9; 1 Cor 10:22 Acts 9 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Dore Woodcut JESUS' REVEALED HIMSELF AND REPEATS THE REBUKE And he said, "Who are You, Lord?" - Saul is obviously confused and does not know with Whom he is speaking. He was not yet a sheep, one who knows His Master's voice, but that would soon change (cf Jn 10:14, 16). Compare the questions of others who encountered God (Manoah - Jdg 13:17+, Jacob - Ge 32:29) While the Greek term for Lord (kurios) can be translated "Sir" (some 11x in the NAS - Mt 27:63; Jn 12:21; Acts 16:30+), the very fact that Saul is on the ground strongly suggests a holy fear or reverence of the Voice he has just heard (cf "bath kol"). So while some commentators render it "Who are You, Sir," explaining Saul did not yet know Jesus, it is highly unlikely that Luke's intent signifies anything but Lord. Lord (2962)(kurios from kuros = power) primarily means the owner, master, lord, supreme one, one who is sovereign. Kurios describes Jesus as the One who possesses absolute authority, absolute ownership and uncontested power. Kurios describes Jesus as the One to Whom a person (a disciple) belonged, over which He has the power of deciding. Kurios is used in 13x in 12 verses in Acts 9 far more than any other chapter in Acts and all refer to the Lord Jesus. Acts 9:1; Acts 9:5; Acts 9:10; Acts 9:11; Acts 9:13; Acts 9:15; Acts 9:17; Acts 9:27; Acts 9:28; Acts 9:31; Acts 9:35; Acts 9:42; Saul had been fighting all his life against Jesus as Lord but in a moment surrendered to His Lordship. Are you fighting against the Lordship of Christ? Because the Spirit had opened the eyes of his heart, Saul recognized the Savior as Lord. R.C.
Atos 9
Vernon McGee comments "The “very Christ” means the very Messiah. Saul confounded the Jews by preaching this. Saul of Tarsus is number one in several departments. He is number one in suffering; he is number one as a missionary. I think he is also number one in his I.Q.—he was a brilliant man. He was able to confound those who attempted to tackle him intellectually." (Thru the Bible) Proving (4822)(sumbibazo from sun = together + bibazo = to make to go up) means to bring together, to make or cause to go or come together, to join together. One can see Saul "joining together" the truths of the Old Testament with the truth that Jesus is alive.The picture of the verb sumbibazo is to bring together many parts from which a person is able to draw a conclusion. It means to conclude and then to prove. In this passage sumbibazo means to present a logical conclusion and thus to demonstrate or prove that Jesus was the expected Jewish Messiah. The present tense indicates he was doing this continually as he spoke of Jesus. One is reminded of the power and resultant persecution of Stephen another Spirit filled defender of the faith in Acts 6 But some men from what was called the Synagogue of the Freedmen, including both Cyrenians and Alexandrians, and some from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and argued with Stephen. 10 But they were unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking. 11 Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.” 12 And they stirred up the people, the elders and the scribes, and they came up to him and dragged him away and brought him before the Council (COMPARE THE JEWISH REACTION TO SAUL IN Acts 9:23). (Acts 6:9-12+)
Atos 9
Vernon McGee quips in his pithy style - I’m sure it must have been quite a thrilling experience to have been let down over the wall in a basket. Yet we never read anywhere in the New Testament that Paul toured the Roman Empire giving a lecture on the subject, “Over the Wall in a Basket.” That ought to be a lesson for a great many folk who deal in sensationalism today. Here is a man who has had a most remarkable experience, but he has something more important to present. We must never let our experience get in the way of presenting Christ. We must never let our person get in the way of the Person of Christ. Sometimes I hear the very pious prayer, “Hide the preacher behind the cross.” No, friend, that is not what he needs. Rather, we should pray, “Help the preacher to present Christ in such a way that the Spirit of God can take the things of Christ and show them to us. Help him to present Christ!” This was Paul’s method. Lowering (5465)(chalao) means to loosen , slacken, relax, "to cause something to move down gradually" (Louw-Nida) and then to let down from a higher place to a lower one - a bed from roof (Mk 2:4), a net from a boat (Lk 5:4,5), a boat from a sinking ship (Acts 27:30, and here of Saul in a basket from a window in the wall (Acts 9:25, also used in 2 Cor 11:33 "cast [Jeremiah] into the cistern" - Jer 38:6), finally letting down the sea anchor (Acts 27:17). Unfurl the ship sail in Lxx of Isa 33:23. Chalao - let down (6), let down let down (1), lowering* (1). Mk. 2:4; Lk. 5:4; Lk. 5:5; Acts 9:25; Acts 27:17; Acts 27:30; 2 Co. 11:33 Chalao - 4x in the Septuagint - Ex 39:21; Isa. 33:23; Isa. 57:4; Jer. 38:6 Swindoll explains that "Many ancient cities were enclosed by two walls separated by a gap of approximately 15 feet. The bottom was filled with stone and rubble to make it more difficult for enemies to breach the city’s defenses. Higher up, however, wooden beams spanned the gap between the inner and outer walls to form floor joists for living quarters. Most likely, Saul escaped through an apartment window facing outward." (Swindoll's Living Insights) Paul later recounts this episode giving us additional details not included by Luke... In Damascus the ethnarch under Aretas the king was guarding (phroureō) the city of the Damascenes in order to seize (piazo) me, 33 and I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and so escaped his hands." (2 Cor 11:32-33) Comment: The Jews apparently stirred up the civil authorities, something they did at other times (cf Acts 16:19-24, Acts 17:5-9, Acts 18:12-13ff). Saul refers to Aretas the King of the Nabataeans (ca 9 BC to 40 AD) who apparently assisted the Jews in the plot and helped by setting up guards around the city of Damascus. Notice that this account of his lowering in a basket is included in the long list of persecutions mentioned by Paul in 1 Cor 11:23-33 Large basket (4711)(spuris/sphuris from speira = something that is coiled) refers to a large flexible basket for carrying provisions. Ger adds it was "suitable for carrying bales of hay, straw, cords of wood or small Jewish rabbis trying to make a getaway." Friberg adds that a spuris was "used by Jews especially on longer journeys, for carrying along levitically clean provisions, such as food and hay for sleeping on (Mt 15.37)." Spuris is used in classical Greek to denote a “large basket” that would hold money or food (cf. Liddell-Scott). Zodhiates lists 2 synonyms - kóphinos (2894), a wicker basket; sargánē (4553), a large basket made of ropes or a wicker basket made of entwined twigs. Spuris - large basket(1), large baskets(4). - Matt. 15:37; Matt. 16:10; Mk. 8:8 = "seven large baskets"; Mk. 8:20 = "large baskets full of broken pieces"; Acts 9:25 A T Robertson on in a large basket - In a basket (en sphuridi). The word used when the four thousand were fed (Mark 8:8 = Matt. 15:37). A large basket plaited of reeds and distinguished in Mark 8:19-20. (= Matt. 16:9-10) from the smaller [kophinos]. Paul uses sarganē, a basket made of ropes. This escape by night by the help of the men whom he had come to destroy was a shameful memory to Paul (2 Cor. 11:33). (Acts 9 Commentary) Albert
Atos 9
Vernon McGee - Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone. It will produce something. After a person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, he (or she) will want to “continue in His Word.” The proof of faith is continuing with the Savior. As the pastor of a church, I learned to watch out for the person who is active in the church but is not interested in the study of the Word of God. Such a one is dangerous to a church. (Thru the Bible Commentaryn) Jack Arnold - Her name actually means Gazelle or Antelope and these animals are characterized by grace and charm. Dorcas was a Christian woman who displayed much grace and charm. She was not only a beautiful person on the inside but she was a woman constantly doing good deeds of kindness and charity. She displayed a life of ministry in selfless love, for she was always thinking about others and not herself. Apparently her main gift was helping the poor and needy. Dorcas was involved in a social service to her fellow Christians and her community. She made garments for the needy. Her natural talent was sewing and her spiritual gift was helps. Her gift, in comparison, seems so insignificant when compared to the gifts of Peter. He could preach, teach, lead, heal and even raise the dead, but Dorcas was given ten deft fingers with which to make garments for the poor. Yet, her gift was as important to the body of Christ as was Peter's gifts. Dorcas probably never spoke at a missionary meeting or taught a home Bible class, but she did a lot of wonderful things for people. Dorcas was a true disciple of Christ and she proved it by her good works. The true Christian will have good works flowing from the life. (The Miracle Worker) John