3. . Material Independence

13:13-52

The Jews

Influence amongst wealthy

13:13-52 Those who were with Paul set sail from Paphos and came to Perga of Pamphylia. Then John (Mark) departed from them and returned to Jerusalem. The others continued, going from Perga and arriving in Antioch of Persidia. They then went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down. After the reading of the law and of the prophets the synagogue rulers said to them "Brethren. If there is any word of exhortation amongst you for the people say it." So rising up Paul motioned with his hand and said "Fellow Israelites and those who fear God, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and exalted their people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt. Then with a raised arm he led them out of it. They endured in the desert for about forty years. Then having destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan the land was given to them for about four hundred and fifty years. After this God gave (them) judges until the time of Samuel a prophet. Then they asked for a king and God gave them Saul the son of Cis of the tribe of Benjamin for forty years. Then removing him he (God) raised David up for them as a king. He also gave witness to (David) saying "I have found David the son of Jesse to be a man according to my heart who will do all that I want." According to his promise God raised from the descendants of this man a Saviour called Jesus and brought him to Israel. Before His public entrance John proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. As this (preparation) was completed John said "Who do you suppose me to be? I am not the promised one. He is coming after me and I am not worthy to loosen the sandal on his foot." (Paul continued) "Brethren, sons of the race of Abraham and those amongst you who fear God, the word of this salvation was sent forth to us. But those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, did not recognise him. So they fulfilled the judgement of the voices of the prophets being read through on every Sabbath. On finding no reason to condemn him to death they asked Pilate to destroy him. Then when they finished doing all the things which had been written concerning him they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him out of the dead and he appeared over many

days to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now witnesses about him to the people. What we preach to you, is that the promise made to the fathers has come about. God has fulfilled that promise to our children by raising up Jesus. This has been as it is written in the second psalm. "You are my son. To-day I have begotten you." And (also) "He raised him up out of the dead so that he would no longer return to corruption." Thus he has said "I will give to you the holy things of David the faithful one. Wherefore also in another psalm he says "You will not give your holy one to see corruption." As far as David himself was concerned having served his own generation with the counsel of God he fell asleep and was added to his fathers and he did see corruption. But the one (Jesus) whom God raised (from the dead) did not see it." Know therefore and let it be understood brethren that it is through this man (Jesus) that forgiveness of sins is announced. (Through him) you are (saved) justified from all the things that you could not be saved from by the law of Moses. Indeed everyone is justified by believing in this man. Watch out therefore in case what has been said in the prophets (re warnings) comes upon you. i.e. "You scoffers, marvel and perish because I work something in your time, yet it is something you refuse to believe in when you are told about it." And as they (Paul and Barnabas) went out the people asked them to tell them more about this during the week. When the assembly (in the synagogue) was broken up many of the Jews and the worshipping proselytes (converts to Judaism) who were speaking to Paul and Barnabas urged them to continue. And so on the next Sabbath almost all the city was assembled to hear the word of God. But on seeing the crowds the Jews were filled with jealousy and contradicted the things spoken by Paul and so they blasphemed. Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said. "It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken to yourselves first of all. However since you put it away and were not worthy (of it) judge yourselves regarding eternal life. Behold we are going to turn to the Gentiles (non-Jews). For the Continued

Continued Lord has commanded us to do this. (God said) "I have set you as a light for the nations (meaning non-Jews) to be for the salvation (of all) to the ends of the earth." On hearing about this the non-Jews rejoiced and glorified the word of the Lord. As many as were disposed towards eternal life believed. Thus the

word of the Lord was carried throughout all the country. But the Jews pressured the more influential women and chief men of the city and so brought persecution against Paul and Barnabas. Thus they expelled them from their borders. But they (Barnabas and Paul) shook off the dust from their feet (i.e. they moved on ) and came to Iconium. The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit.

In the speech of the above paragraph Paul (as recounted by Luke) raises the massive question of "Justification by Faith." This has been a linch pin in the position of Protestants since they broke from the 'Roman' Church about five hundred years ago. But perhaps the position of both groups is similar and it comes down to a matter of degree as to which of two "prongs" each of them emphasise. How does this fit in with the line of logic as portrayed in Reality Search? As a re-cap, the two societies, one of which is based on law or time and the other which is based upon order or place are both inadequate. People in a 'law-based only' society are likely to realise this. Probably as people listened to Paul they knew that even though they kept to the law of Moses as prescribed in Jewish society they were still guilty of failing to come up to the quality of life that was intended in the Ultimate Plan of the Universe. So did the non-Jews. And so they were still as it were "off-key" to some extent. On the other hand the way of life as proclaimed in "the Word" about Jesus would help them to attain a more balanced approach. In the speech above, the best of both types of societies are presented and people are warned about the inadequacies of each of them. By keeping to the "Way" of life as exemplified by Jesus, that is by keeping faith in himself and what he stood for, people are more likely to be able to function according to the Ultimate Plan of the Universe. Thus they are less likely to be alienated from it.

In the above passage Jesus is presented as a Source of Life as well. As Paul said to the Jews, it was fitting to proclaim 'the Word' relating to Jesus to themselves first of all. This was because, like the down-beam of the cross, natural law as such forms the basis of any society, starting with the animal world. At the same time 'the Word' relating to the way of life of Jesus contains within itself sufficient wisdom about law including the moral law, for it to move out from Judaism into the wider world.

4. . Perception to escape

14:1-6

The disobeying Jews

Crowd influence

14:1-6 Now it happened that as they entered into the Jewish synagogue together to speak, a great company of both Jews and Greeks believed. But the Jews who did not agree excited and embittered the minds of the non-Jews against the brothers. The latter continued for a considerable time to speak boldly about the Lord. They witnessed to the life of God (grace) within the

word, working signs and wonders through their hands. But the multitude of the city was divided. Some were with the Jews but others were with the apostles. When there was a plan of both Jews and non-Jews and their rulers to rush at the (apostles) to insult and stone them they perceived this. They escaped to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and the neighbourhood of Derbe and evangelized there.