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2 Timothy – Apostolic Faith and Pastoral Oversight by Paul
Introduction

God and Christ became incarnate in order to restore Their personal relationship with sinful man.

Roger@TallkofJesus.com

God and Apostles, Disciples of men

Our purpose in introducing Paul’s final epistle to a pastor is:

1. to reintroduce you to the Apostle Paul and

2. to reacquaint you with Timothy, a disciple of Paul who served him in varying roles,

BOTH whom we’ve met in Acts of the Apostles and other epistles.

Let us begin with God
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(says the teacher to his class). 
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God — YHWH the LORD — Is One.

One in Being. One in Essence. One in Substance.

There IS no other god.

God IS the Creator of all things and of all mankind.

He had a relationship in the beginning of time — before which He Exists and after which He Exists — the LORD’s relationships are perfectly personal.

God IS: Father, Son — Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Christ, Apostles and Disciples

The Apostle Paul writes to Timothy in his first epistle:

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

First letter of the Apostle Paul to Timothy

Jesus, the incarnate Son of God the Father, taught the Gospel with all perfection to men for three years.

The Twelve Disciples (which included neither Paul nor Timothy) followed the Lord, ate and slept with Jesus — they all knew the incarnate Son of God personally.

Consider the interpersonal relationships connecting each of these roles as defined by Scripture and what the Lord Jesus, our Teacher, instructs:

Disciple (follower), Master (teacher), Servant (slave) and Lord

The Disciples Matthew, John and Peter were all present with the incarnate Christ Jesus personally when the Lord said this:

The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

Gospel of Matthew 24:14 – Jesus’ to The Twelve Disciples; Instructions for Service & meaning of discipleship – KJV

μαθητής – mathētēs – disciple (268x) – a learner, pupil, one who follows one’s teaching:

The Twelve followed JESUS for three years, discipleship at its most personal.

Furthermore, many others would follow JESUS’s teachings as ‘Christians’ chosen by God for the Way of eternal life.

Apostles to the Jews and Gentiles

Of course from the beginning Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him and that a disciple Mathias would be chosen to replace the betrayer of Christ as a twelfth Apostle to the Jews.

Christ had taught and trained the Twelve how they would become Apostles — primarily, but not exclusively, to their fellow Jews —after His death, resurrection and ascension.

We last looked at the Apostle Simon Peter

Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

2 Peter 1:1 KJV

Paul also refers to himself as an Apostle, greeting his disciples (followers) in his first epistle and this final letter.

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,

To Timothy, my dearly beloved son:

2 Timothy 1:1-2a KJV

So who are apostles?
Apostolos – a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders

specifically applied to the twelve apostles of Christ

in a broader sense applied to other eminent Christian teachers

– of Barnabas of Timothy and Silvanus
Apostles are ‘sent out’ by Christ.

As in the case of the Twelve and the Apostle Paul, the Lord himself instructed them Personally — that is, the Person of Jesus sent these Apostles out into the world personally.

Other apostles continued to be ‘sent out into all the world’ by the Holy Spirit after Jesus’ ascension, as Luke records for us of the day of Pentecost in ACTS 1.

As we learned from Acts of the Apostles that after the AD 49 Council in Jerusalem, Peter, Paul, John and all others were sent out ‘first to the Jews,’ but also into gentile areas of the Roman Empire (mostly Hellenist or Greek provinces) to include ALL as follows of Christ as part of each local church.

Jesus is Lord

Note that Jesus Christ refers to the Father as Lord (Kyrios in their common Greek language of the Roman Empire) with an authority and meaning no different than the original Hebrew scripture (Yahweh).

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

And He said to him,

“‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’

Matthew 22:36-37 LSB

Saul, a Jew of Jews, sent out by a Master crucified and risen!

About five years after the Jews of Jerusalem had crucified Jesus, a young disciple of Gamaliel witnessed the stoning of a follower of The Way.

They went on stoning Stephen as he was calling out and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” And having said this, he fell asleep.

Acts of the Apostles 7:59-60 LSB

Stephen, even in his dying breath, called JESUS, “Lord” – twice.

And this young disciple of the rabbi Gamaliel had witnessed it personally.

Saul of Tarsus would become an apostle of the Sanhedrin specifically sent out to continue persecuting Christians.

But then, as we know, Christ appeared to Saul and instructed this new and unwilling (at first) Apostle to go to the Gentiles.

Damascus Road: Witness into all the World

Paul frequently writes that He is a slave (doulos) of JESUS or God(or of the gospel). The Lord Jesus himself points to the service required of this most personal relationship.
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Many translations prefer servant to slave, but it is the same Greek word: doulos. 
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The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.

Gospel of Matthew 10:24 KJV

The Apostle Paul describes himself in another pastoral epistle written about the same time as his two letters to Timothy:

Paul, a servant^G1401 of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

Epistle of Paul to Titus 1:1

Timothy – Paul enlists a disciple of The Way

Now Paul also arrived at Derbe and at Lystra.

And behold, a disciple was there, named Timothy,

the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer,

but his father was a Greek,

Acts of the Apostles 16:1

During Paul’s second missionary journey, which had begun inland through the mountains northwest of Tarsus in rural Galatia. While visiting churches established by Barnabas and him on a first missionary journey, the Apostle meets a young Timothy — a Greek, because of his father, but brought up as a Christ-follower by his mother(a Jew, as Paul had been) and Timothy’s grandmother.

A brief introduction of Timothy (Τιμόθεος – Timotheos)
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Timothy's early journeys are found in Acts of the Apostles. 
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~AD 49

Second Missionary Journey – Acts 16

Timothy joined Paul and Silas on mission, staying behind at Berea for a time with Silas. Paul, later commands the two by the Spirit to join him in Athens from where the trio proceed to Macedonia.

Paul then ‘sent into Macedonia two of them that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus; but he himself stayed in Asia for a season.

Acts 19:22 KJV

We observe how personal all of the mentoring relations of the Apostle remain to Paul as Luke records those with the Apostle when once again the Jews laid wait to capture and kill him.

Paul was accompanied by Sopater son of Pyrrhus from Berea,

Aristarchus and Secundus from Thessalonica,

Gaius from Derbe, Timothy, and Tychicus

and Trophimus from the province of Asia.

Acts of the Apostles 20:4 Berean Standard Bible
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We will mention more of Timothy's crucial later pastoral roles later in this epistle.  
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Timothy wrote other epistles with Paul :

It is important for us to note that these Pastoral Epistles make known the Spirit-directed teaching of the Apostle Paul we must study, rather than focus on any pastors or saints to whom Paul writes, such as Timothy.
- ~AD 50-51
Thessalonians and the Righteous Judgment of God
- ~AD 55-56 the Apostle Paul writes:
  - 1 Corinthians with Sosthenes and
  - 2 Corinthians with Timothy
The Apostle Paul writes to the Corinthians with Sosthenes and a second time with Timothy
*graphic from a 2024 TalkofJESUS SERIES Post: Rebuke of ministers that perish without the Cross
- ~AD 60-62 The Apostle Paul writes to:
  - the Ephesians
  - the Philippians
Archaeological Site of Philippi: General view of the forum with adjacent agora marketplace

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons:

Philippians 1:1 NIV
- the Colossians, with Timothy
- and a personal plea along with Timothy to Philemon, concerning Onesimus.
NEXT: 2 Timothy 1:

timotheos agapētos teknon

To Timothy, my beloved son

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
January 6, 2026
King for a Common Era Holy Week 5
KING jesus! KING jesus! The Prophet who drove the money changers out of God’s Temple HAS RETURNED!

Holy Week in the year of our Lord 30
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Without noting several significant private events and conversations of this holy week, including Jesus' celebration of the Passover meal with the Twelve;
 
let's look once more at the witness of PUBLIC encounters of the Lord Jesus in the Temple through actual and FICTIONAL witnesses.
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And he [Jesus] taught daily in the temple.
Gospel of Luke19:47a Καὶ ἦν διδάσκων τὸ καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ

Gospel of Matthew 21: New King James Version

23 Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said,

“By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”

“I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things:

The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?”
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No Elder could answer Him.
The Prophet from Nazareth then taught us with parables.
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Parables in the Temple

28 “But what do you think? A man had two sons.. ‘Son, go, work today in my vineyard.’ He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went. .. the second .. said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go.

31 Which of the two did the will of his father?”

33 “Hear another parable:

There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country...

.. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’
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Every listening soul knew that Jesus was speaking of the Shepherds of Israel AND knowing that this teacher from Nazareth called Himself a 'Son.' 
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But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves,

‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’

So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
Gospel of Matthew 21:28-29 – New King James Version
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So is this JESUS the coming KING about to conquer Jerusalem from the Herod's (as when HE rode into the city like DAVID)? 

Will this Teacher also turn the tables on OUR corrupt religious leaders, we wondered?
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OTHERS in the TEMPLE also heard Jesus challenge EVERY false philosophy, teachings obligating US to pay indulgences to support their own well-healed corruptness among regular worshipers.

“He will destroy those wicked..

“Have you never read in the Scriptures:

‘The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
This was the Lord’s doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes’?
the Good News of Matthew 21:42 – New King James Version – The Lord JESUS in the Temple, quoting MANY Scriptures to Jewish leaders
- Psa 118:22
- Isa 28:16
  - .. a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
- Zec 3:8-10
In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, shall ye call every man his neighbour under the vine and under the fig tree.
Zechariah 3 :: King James Version (KJV)
3:10 בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא נְאֻם יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת תִּקְרְאוּ אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ אֶל־תַּחַת גֶּפֶן וְאֶל־תַּחַת תְּאֵנָה׃
- Hab 1:5
  - Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
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JESUS IS PREACHING GOOD NEWS TO EVERYONE IN THE TEMPLE -- JEWS AND GENTILES -- BUT NOT SO GOOD for the entrenched rulers of Jerusalem.
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Good News of Matthew 22:

And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said:

“The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son..

“For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Gospel of Matthew 22:14 NKJV – Jesus’ parable of the wedding feast
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Of the Pharisees (who teach of the resurrection, although some it seems would have us pay them to have Yahweh overlook our sins to earn our way to it) Jesus challenged: 
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“Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? .. “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

The Pharisees also tried to test HIM on the LAW.

³⁶“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
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Now I was immediately thinking 'FIRST COMMENDMENT' 
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5:7 לֹא יִהְיֶה־לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים עַל־פָּנָיַ׃

‘You shall have no other gods before Me.
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The Teacher of the teachers however went straight to the Shammah: 
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שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד׃

Hear, Yisra’el: the LORD is our God; the LORD is one..

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

This is the first and great commandment.

And the second is like it:

‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

And just like us, He didn’t think much of the Sadducees either.

“You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.. God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

Some who witnessed Jesus’ miracles thought that He might be John the Baptizer risen from death. And other who know Lazarus seemed certain that HE held the power over death because HE IS the Promised One of Israel.

Jesus had asked the Pharisees (who believe the Scriptures about the resurrection):

“What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?”
Matthew 22:42 NKJV

The Pharisees’ very Judaic response about “The Son of David” Jesus proved as quite insufficient. The Pharisees did NOT know who the Christ would be.

Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees and …

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples
Matthew 23:1 King James Version

SO YOU WANT A ‘KING’ JESUS, ALL OF YOU WHO LOVE TO SHOUT OUT ‘HOSANNA‘ WHEN HE ENTERS THE TEMPLE TOWARDS YOU?
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* Some quotes below updated for awoke Common Era [christian] hearing.
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“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

Woe to you, ..[who] for a pretense make long prayers.. travel land and sea to win one [*new visitor to your church and life], and when [*they are] won, you make [*them] twice as much [*sons and daughters] son of hell as yourselves.

“Woe to you, blind guides..

For which is greater, the gift or the altar that sanctifies the gift?

He who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits on it.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith..

“Woe to you [*church leaders & priests]! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. 26 Blind [*Popes and Pastors], first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also.

“Woe to you.. hypocrites like whitewashed tombs.. beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.. outwardly appear righteous.., but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

“Woe to you, Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say,

‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.’

Are YOU of the multitudes? OR one of His disciples?
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JESUS had hundreds of disciples [followers] and thousands from the crowds in the Temple, multitudes who heard Him preach in this holiest of weeks.
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ARE YOU ONE OF THESE? WOULD YOU have been one of the MULTITUDES who shouted, ‘HOSANNA, KING JESUS!’ who tomorrow might side with ‘leaders‘ denying Him, saying with all the world, CRUCIFY HIM! ‘WE have NO KING but Caesar‘?

OR are you NOW a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ – Jesus the Pascal Lamb of God slaughtered for sinners — a follower who will believe and take up His Cross?

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her!

How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ”
Matthew 23:37-39 NKJV

Communion with His Apostles

Jesus is about to have some private moments with His closest friends and Apostles — a last meal — Communion… followed by betrayal, prayer, arrest… then a trial of injustice under the veil of darkness.

WHAT WILL YOU SAY IF A FRIEND FROM YOUR LIFE IN THE WORLD ASKS YOU ABOUT JESUS?

IS HE THE CHRIST SENT TO SAVE US?

SAVE ME FROM WHAT?

Talk of JESUS . com

Comment on Scripture – Share the Gospel
March 28, 2024
Saul’s Unwelcome Return to Jerusalem
(to join the Church!)

When Sha’ul had come to Yerushalayim, he tried to join himself to the talmidim; but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a talmid.
ACTS 9:26 Hebrew Names Version

Do you take this man .. ?

Have you ever wanted to JOIN a group of people who really knew nothing about you? Were you ever the one forced to move to a new town where you tried to join a new church? Did you, in that time of isolation from familiar friends, feel more unwelcome than wanted? Or worse, did those you wanted to join most REJECT you? Did THEY slam the door of hospitality in your face?

NO! No, I say. I CANNOT take this man to be part of ME for life or eternity.

How does it feel?

administration of a church in an empire divided by culture

Σαῦλος: an Unwelcome application to join the church of Jerusalem
- Why did you leave your last church?
  - I escaped some zealous brothers who were trying to kill me.
- Didn’t you try to kill some of them?
  - In fact, I once led these men in trying to kill disciples of Jesus. A brother heard they were in town and they lowered me down to escape. So now we come to join you.
- hmmm. I think we’ll have to pray about that and get back to you…
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Familiar? 
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Church Membership + Not so unlike a marriage vow

We understand that Saul was well-known in Jerusalem, as A JEW OF JEWS, zealous to destroy ALL disciples of the Apostles of the Messiah Jesus. But at first even the church in Jerusalem would have been suspicious of Saul’s motives, unaware of Saul’s calling by Christ on the road to Damascus.

They knew Saul of Tarsus, but not this man baptized in the Holy Spirit who had met the Lord Jesus in Person. And you know Paul’s words written later to the church at Ephesus, familiar to all concerning marriage.

For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
Ephesians 5:30 KJV

For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Ephesians 5:32 KJV
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YOU MUST leave one to be JOINED to the other.

MEMBERSHIP mattered in the first century. 
(Joining a church should make a difference for you in the 21st c. as well. - RH)
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Has Saul of Tarsus, disciple of Gamaliel in Jerusalem, really left his former rabbi to JOIN us as disciples of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah?

ACTS 9:

26 And when he had come to Jerusalem he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles..

Saul: Encouragement in Christ from Cypress

Barnabas, disciple of the Apostles in Jerusalem, helped Saul escape Damascus and certain death.

Barnabas demonstrates his well-known encouragement in Christ to Saul.

Do you recall this man Joseph from before he fled to Damascus?

Earlier in ACTS of the disciples of the Apostles:

4:32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common.

There was not a needy person among them..
Acts of the followers of the way 4:34A ESV

Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. – ACTS of the disciple Barnabas 4:36-37

5:12 Now many signs and wonders were done among the people by the hands of the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. None of the rest dared join them, but the people held them in high honor.

Stephen, Joseph (Barnabas) and many others joined the Apostles; while many jews (and they were ALL Jews) publicly showed the Apostles ‘high honor’ for their obvious works for the LORD, yet formally remained accepted worshipers of the Temple.

Many jews would have respected Stephen with such honor as he defended The Way of the Messiah Jesus before the court of the Temple.

Join us! (or not?)

Early followers of The Way of Jesus had to choose:
1. Join in following the Apostles of the Messiah Jesus?
2. OR remain joined to the designated leadership of Herod’s Temple?
As for the Apostles, rightfully fearful of Saul of Tarsus; they trusted Barnabas even to the point of allowing him to bring their nemesis to them.

κολλάω
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Click here for definition Strong's G2853 - kollaō 
Root Word (Etymology) From kolla ("glue")
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- And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples.. – NKJV
- .. he tried to meet with the believers.. – NLT
- .. he attempted to join the disciples… – ESV
- .. he tried repeatedly to associate with the disciples; and yet they were all afraid of him.. – NASB20
Do you get the context of their fear?
1. to glue, to glue together, cement, fasten together
2. to join or fasten firmly together
3. to join one’s self to, cleave to
THIS is the context of the CHURCH comprised of disciples, that is: followers of The Way of Christ Jesus!

The Encouragement of Barnabas

The Apostles did NOT flee Jerusalem. Neither did they deny Saul’s request to join them, though they feared him (but not more than the Lord).

But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared to them how on the road he had seen the Lord, who spoke to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus.
ACTS of the Apostles 9:27 RSV + CLICK HERE FOR CONTEXT IN English & German

WE must bring the flesh and blood of the repentant soul before us in person on occasion so as to discern the authenticity of Christ’s impact on their reborn soul.
Roger@TalkofJESUS.com

Peter and the Apostles did this at the urging and encouragement of the disciple Barnabas.

28 So he went in and out among them at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord.

This would not have happened had Christ and Ananias and Judas and Joseph and Peter and the Twelve had not intervened in the reborn life of the Apostle Saul of Tarsus.

And he spoke and disputed against the Hellenists..
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Remember from earlier in Acts 6 several jewish sects opposed Stephen and other disciples of Jesus: Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
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..but they were seeking to kill him.

30 And when the brethren knew it, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him off to Tarsus.

Saul Joins the Church!

This foremost of sinners and persecutor of Christians now begins Christ’s most important mission to go into all the world and talk of JESUS.

Have you (even in fear) gone to YOUR LOCAL CHURCH & asked them to JOIN your fellow forgiven sinners as a member of their body of Christ?
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ACTS of the APOSTLES + To be continued...
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March 11, 2022