Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Making sense of the Book of Acts - 8

After the rulers rejected Him in Matthew 16:20-21, Jesus specifically instructed His apostles not to testify that He was Messiah. If Jesus did not rescind this order, then His apostles willfully disobeyed Him. But Jesus Christ did rescind it in His prayer on the cross — "And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do...” (Lk 23:34). God began anew with Israel on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:36; 3:14-26).

From Acts 2:36 through Acts 7, the twelve disciples and their associates testified to Israel that Jesus was Christ (Messiah). Paul and his associates continued in the synagogues of Israel to testify that Jesus was Christ (Messiah) (Acts 9:16-28; 17:3; 18:5; 28:19-28).

There are four classes of Jews mentioned in the first eleven chapters of Acts: "Hebrew Jews," "Grecians (Greek Jews)," "Strangers or visiting Jews from Rome" (Acts 2:10), and "Proselytes." The Grecians of Acts 6:1, Acts 9:29, and Acts 11:20 should not be confused with the Greeks (Gentiles) of Acts 2:28, Acts 14:1, Acts 16:1-3, Acts 17:4, Acts 18:4, Acts 18:17, Acts 19:10, Acts 19:17, and Acts 20:21. There is also a difference between many of the religious Greeks and the idolatrous Gentiles. Many of the Greeks were interested in the Jews' religion (Acts 13:43; 13:48;14:1; 17:4).

The "far off" people of Acts 2:39 were Israelites, not Gentiles (Acts 10:28; Dan 9:7). In the early chapters of Acts, not one word was spoken to Gentiles. Peter and his associates were sent by Christ to Israel only, with a kingdom message and kingdom signs (Matt 10:5-7).  To them the keys of the kingdom of heaven were given (Matt 16:19).  No one today has right to proclaim the messages, religious programs, and divine orders of those chapters to the Church today — except preaching Christ.

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