Atos 24
Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
Atos 24
Cole says "The verb translated “discussing” means “to reason with.” Paul didn’t bypass their minds and go for heartwarming stories. He appealed through their minds to their consciences. The gospel should make people think, convicting their consciences, leading to a rational decision to trust in Christ. An emotional appeal that bypasses the mind may get decisions, but they will be flimsy, at best." (Sermon) Dialegomai is a major verb in Acts (here are all NT uses) - Mk. 9:34; Acts 17:2; Acts 17:17; Acts 18:4; Acts 18:19; Acts 19:8; Acts 19:9; Acts 20:7; Acts 20:9; Acts 24:12; Acts 24:25; Heb. 12:5; Jude 1:9 Self-control would "blasted" both Drusilla and Felix for their lives of self-focus were the anti-thesis of self-control! Self Control (temperance)(1466)(egkrateia from en = in + kratos = dominion, mastery, power to rule <> the stem krat- speaks of power or lordship) means literally dominion within. The idea is holding oneself in or the ability to take a grip of oneself. It is self-control proceeding out from within oneself, but not by oneself, and for the believer is only possible by depending on the power of the indwelling Spirit (cf "fruit" - Gal 5:23). This meaning is similar to our modern expression "Get a grip" which speaks of the ability to get a grip on oneself. As discussed below this virtue was highly regarded by the great secular Greek writers such as Aristotle. Egkrateia has reference to restraining passions and appetites. It points to the inner power to control one's own desires and appetites, and in context is a fruit of "true knowledge" (epignosis). As with meekness, however, this grace (self control) does not apply to God, Who does not need to restrain Himself for everything He does is perfectly righteous. In His incarnation Christ was the epitome of self-control. He was never tempted or tricked into doing or saying anything that was not consistent with His Father’s will and His own divine nature. Egkrateia refers to self-control especially in the area of one's sexuality (although it by no means is restricted to sexual desire) and the loss of sexual self–control leads to the opposite effect which is immorality and impurity. For example we find idea in secular Greek writings like Xenophon (Mem.i.2, 1) speaking of Socrates, who was (egkratestatos) most temperate as to sexual pleasures and pleasures of the appetite. In discussing righteousness Paul describes God's moral "ruler" or "straight-edge" by which He assesses all deeds and of course with such a perfect straight-edge EVERYONE'S life looks crooked (Ro 3:10+) and in need of some way to rectify the situation. Of course there is only one solution and that is belief in the only One Who was perfectly righteous, Christ Jesus (the "Righteous Branch" - Jer 23:5, Isaiah 53:11+) so that His perfect righteousness might be reckoned (imputed) to the believing sinner's "spiritual bank account." (Ro 4:13+, Ro 4:22+). (See Why does Christ's righteousness need to be imputed to us?) Righteousness (1343)(dikaiosune from dikaios = being proper or right in the sense of being fully justified being or in accordance with what God requires) is the quality of being upright. In its simplest sense dikaiosune conveys the idea of conformity to a standard or norm and in Biblical terms the "standard" is God and His perfect, holy character. In this sense righteousness is the opposite of hamartia (sin), which is defined as missing of the mark set by God. Dikaiosune is rightness of character before God and rightness of actions before men. Righteousness of God could be succinctly stated as all that God is, all that He commands, all that He demands, all that He approves, all that He provides through Christ (Click here to read Pastor Ray Pritchard's interesting analysis of righteousness in the Gospel of Matthew). Dikaiosune in Acts - Acts 10:35; Acts 13:10; Acts 17:31; Acts 24:25; Undoubtedly what Paul was discussing with Felix one could receive this righteousness only by belief in the Gospel "for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek, for in it (THE GOSPEL) the righteousness (dikaiosune) of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.” (Ro 1:16-17+) The judgment to come - Literally "the judgment, the one coming (imminently)" - Earlier in his defense Paul had told Felix that "there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked." (Acts 24:15+) And here in discussing the judgment he undoubtedly would have elaborated on those two resurrections and two eternal destinies, Heaven or Hell. Presumably this is when Felix became jittery! In Acts 17 Paul had discussed judgment declaring to the Athenians “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31+) John
Atos 24
Cole - In one of his plays, Shakespeare describes a dying man calling on God. He makes the narrator say, “I, to comfort him, bid him he should not think of God. I hoped there was no need to trouble himself with any such thoughts yet” (in Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture [Baker], Acts 13-End, p. 293). That is the way the world thinks: Don’t trouble yourself with God until you’re at death’s door. But God’s way is very different: “Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation’” (2 Cor. 6:2+). (Ibid) Acts 24:27 But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned. NET Acts 24:27 After two years had passed, Porcius Festus succeeded Felix, and because he wanted to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. GNT Acts 24:27 Διετίας δὲ πληρωθείσης ἔλαβεν διάδοχον ὁ Φῆλιξ Πόρκιον Φῆστον, θέλων τε χάριτα καταθέσθαι τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὁ Φῆλιξ κατέλιπε τὸν Παῦλον δεδεμένον. NLT Acts 24:27 After two years went by in this way, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And because Felix wanted to gain favor with the Jewish people, he left Paul in prison. KJV Acts 24:27 But after two years Porcius Festus came into Felix' room: and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound. ESV Acts 24:27 When two years had elapsed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus. And desiring to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. CSB Acts 24:27 After two years had passed, Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus, and because he wished to do a favor for the Jews, Felix left Paul in prison. NIV Acts 24:27 When two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but because Felix wanted to grant a favor to the Jews, he left Paul in prison. NKJ Acts 24:27 But after two years Porcius Festus succeeded Felix; and Felix, wanting to do the Jews a favor, left Paul bound. NRS Acts 24:27 After two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus; and since he wanted to grant the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul in prison. YLT Acts 24:27 and two years having been fulfilled, Felix received a successor, Porcius Festus; Felix also willing to lay a favour on the Jews, left Paul bound. Porcius Festus: Ac 25:1 26:24,25,32 wishing to do the Jews a favor Ac 12:3 25:9,14 Ex 23:2 Pr 29:25 Mk 15:15 Lu 23:24,25 Ga 1:10 Acts 24 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries PAUL'S TWO YEARS IN CONFINEMENT But after two years had passed - Felix's charade with Paul went on for 2 years. Did he every hear the Gospel again? Luke simply does not tell us. Jesus knew this confinement in Caesarea would be a long period and is undoubtedly one of the reasons He personally appeared to encourage Him (Acts 23:11+). At least Paul had "liberty" and his friends had access to him for these two years, so this could have been much worse (as it was about to become)! Jack Andrews - For two years the governor’s ruling on the case was withheld. I don’t believe Lysias forgot how to get to Caesarea from Jerusalem—I just think Felix never called for him to come. (Ibid)