We made great strides in our overview of the book of Acts this morning! In Acts 11, Barnabas went to Tarsus to seek for Saul / Paul whom he sent home back in Acts 9:26-30: And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus. But, now in Acts 11:25-26, some ten years later, goes to seek for Saul / Paul and bring him to the church in Antioch — Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. I encourage you to watch “In Pursuit of Paul”, a series of seven 20 minute + or – videos on the life of our apostle, from his conversion to his martyrdom. I highly recommend it!
The first missionary journey begins in Acts 13, and continues until Acts 15, when Barnabas and Paul, having fully embraced his apostleship to the Gentiles, no longer is called by his Hebrew name of Saul, but, is called by his Roman name of Paul. Acts 13:9: Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him, They return to Jerusalem, to the counsel of the church with all the apostles, and elders, giving testimony of all that God had done in establishing churches, by the preaching of the gospel of Christ. The contention was that the Gentiles were not being encouraged to be circumcised and obey the Law of Moses. There was quite the bruhaha.
Finally, Peter stood up and gave testimony concerning the salvation of Gentiles through his preaching in Acts 10. He confessed, that, being now 14 years after Paul’s conversion, and having spent time with him, he realized that salvation by grace through faith is offered to the Jews, just like the Gentiles!
Acts 15:7-11: And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.
This coming Sunday we will examine James’s reply to Peter’s testimony, and Paul and Barnabas’s testimony of the work of the Holy Spirit in their first journey. We will examine the seven Noahide Laws James quotes from. These laws are condensed from 211 laws in the Babylonian Talmud, the record of the 613 oral laws extrapolated from the Torah. The Torah is the first five books of the Bible – Genesis – Deuteronomy. The Tenach is the complete Hebrew Bible — The Torah, The Prophets (Isaiah – Malachi), and the Writings (Joshua – Song of Solomon). The Talmud is the collection of rabbinical teachings, recorded after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., by the religious leaders / Rabbis who fled to Babylon to escape Roman presecution. The Talmud was compiled over about a 200 year period. All orthodox Jews follow the Talmud / Gmarra, for their daily lives.