Tag: jews

  • Circumcision < Saul's Extreme Cultural Cut of Timothy

    Circumcision < Saul's Extreme Cultural Cut of Timothy

    Why does circumcision of Timothy now seem to be a necessity if he is to continue with Paul and Silas on this second missionary journey?


    After parting ways with Barnabas, Paul has chosen Silas and departed, having been commended by the brothers to the grace of the Lord. 

    And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.

    Acts of the Apostles 15:41 ESV
    Lystra and Derbe in the Taurus Mountains of Turkey
    view of the Taurus mountains looking Southeast back toward roads from Syria

    Paul, on this second missionary journey began via a land route from the church in Antioch, rather than by sea and then proceeding north from Perga as he and Barnabas had traveled before after walking across Cypress to its coastal towns.

    Acts 16:

    Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra.

    A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.

    2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium.

    Lystra, Derbe and Iconium in the Taurus mountains.

    3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.


    But wait! I thought that we had settled those issues of circumcision at the Council in Jerusalem?

    Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds, although we gave them no instructions, it has seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. – Acts 15:24-25 ESV

    Cultural clashes between Greeks and Jews

    In fact, Saul of Tarsus continues to preach Christ to the Jews at great cost as the apostle returns once more to their local synagogues along with others.

    Do you recall the issue which had led Paul and Barnabas to return to Jerusalem?

    Circumcision.


    Many gentiles had come to follow Christ and worshiped as brothers alongside converted Jews of The Way. Young Timothy is the son of one such believer.

    Saul of Tarsus had been equally zealous for the Mosaic traditions before his encounter with Christ some years ago.

    Joseph of Cypress (Barnabas) had sought out Saul in Tarsus where Paul had mostly stayed out of sight of zealous Judaizers for ten years. This is not dissimilar to Joseph bringing Mary and the child Jesus out of Egypt more than forty years before after the death of Herod’s grandfather.

    Yet Zealots for the Law and traditions had recently caused trouble on Saul’s first missionary journey with Barnabas.

    Apostles sent out into ever-changing political landscapes of Rome, Judea and a Hellenist world in between journeyed on frequently-shifting tectonic plates of clashing cultures.


    Some men had come down to Antioch from Judea saying,

    “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

    Acts 15:1b ESV

    This incident in Iconium, one of many, had threatened the apostles sent out by the Church.

    On his second missionary journey Paul seeks out these new believers once more, including a young man named Timothy who had been raised by his Jewish grandmother and mother.

    Lystra, Derbe and Iconium in the Taurus mountains.

    16:2 He was well spoken of by the brothers at Lystra and Iconium.

    Luke mentions [16:1] that Paul and Silas travel to Lystra and Derbe even before now mentioning ‘brothers‘ in Iconium. What had happened in Iconium last time?

    Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.- Acts of the Apostles 14:1 ESV

    At Iconium as in Antioch Pisidia the apostles received a divided (and sometimes violent) reception to the Gospel.

    The Jews of Cilicia held to their Jewishness in opposition to rampant cultural sin in the customs and ceremonies of an idolatrous Hellenistic majority of their own towns. Saul of Tarsus returns to these Christian brothers trying to convince other Jewish brothers that Jesus is the Christ.


    How could these apostles of the risen Jesus reach even more Jews in theirs journeys?

    In order to do this the Apostle Paul and his company of men must seem most Jewish in order to proclaim Christ in their synagogues.

    BUT the issue of bringing Timothy to other towns is that his father is Greek and of course had not circumcised his son eight days after his birth — in the manner and custom of Hebrew fathers.


    Circumcision set (18th c.)

    חֲתַן דָּמִים לַמּוּלֹֽת׃

    Circumcision

    At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood” with reference to the circumcision.

    Exodus 4:26b – Proclamation of Zipporah after she completed this sign of the covenant of the LORD on Moses’ son.

    We read and the Hellenists read of the signs that the Lord God had confirmed His solemn promises to Abraham.

    And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

    ACTS of the Apostles 7:8 – from the preaching of Stephen to the Sanhedrin (most likely with Saul of Tarsus nearby)

    Let’s be clear that in the διαθήκη covenant of περιτομή circumcision that our solemn agreement cut with the LORD is paramount to any sign or evidence of the flesh.


    And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying,

    “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

    Gospel of Luke 22:20 – the words of the Lord Jesus to the Twelve at the meal of the last Passover

    WE are not Jews or Christians — true followers of the LORD (as was Moses) — true disciples of Jesus the Christ of the New Covenant — by signs of baptism, communion, ceremony or any other claim of grace separate from God’s covenant in Scripture.

    The Apostle Peter had also been confronted with this same issue after reporting back to the Church in Jerusalem of the signs of the Holy Spirit also given to the gentiles.

    Peter, John, Phillip, Paul, Barnabas and all the evangelists of the Gospel must continue to convince Jews as well as gentiles concerning God’s mercy and new covenant of the heart.

    Paul’s later letter begins by addressing circumcision.

    Epistle of Paul to the Romans

    For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

    Romans 1:16 ESV

    To the Jew FIRSTApostolic approach of taking the Gospel into all of the 1st century world.

    Paul mentions the culture of so many idolaters among whom the Jews and Christians live. This idolatry is a legitimate concern, more so than a sign of circumcision.


    Romans 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

    24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever!

    Amen.


    These Hellenists to whom the LORD made the Jews a light living among them are citizens of many towns to which Paul now will bring this Greek disciple named Timothy.

    BUT the Jews have been rightly cautious about now allowing the leaven of their idol worship come near the worship of the Living God — most especially at their own Passover feasts.

    2023 Google Earth view of Greece, next stop on Paul's second missionary Journey in Acts 16.
    Note: Konya (Iconium near Derbe & Lystra) in foreground – source: Google Earth AD2023

    For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.
    So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

    Paul’s letter to the Romans 2:25-26 ESV

    Festivals of Pagan Idolatry

    I have only to mention recent, current and highly anticipated pagan festivals of the 21st century to paint a glace of the idolatry of first century — idol worship including parades, drinking, ritual sex, raucous celebrations and porneia in the public places — which Jews and Christians recognize as abhorrent to Almighty God.


    The Hellenes to which Paul, Silas and Timothy would soon travel lived NOT in a unified Greece under Roman occupation similar to the religiously-united Judea of the Jews throughout the Empire, but in numerous culturally divergent city-states conquered separately by Roman centurions advancing from ports of the Mediterranean and Aegean seas.

    Idolatries of the Hellenes worshipping gods of each city, similar to god idols of Roman myths allowed for a tolerant Roman peace. Romans simply viewed idol worship as harmless and practical public parties of a cultural nature, even a religious duty.

    These frequent festivals sometimes celebrated each year may have been out of obligation, but culturally they generally were celebrations influential men of the city used to maintain their hold on the women, boys, slaves and money they controlled.

    Remember, in most of the Roman Empire and most Hellenist cities MOST men served other men of means in charge of various aspects of their everyday lives. Many captive slaves worked for local land owners and the Roman army as well, including young boys who served their masters in ways NOT acceptable to any faithful Jew.

    On the further mission beyond Derbe, Lystra and Iconium (modern-day Kona, Turkiye) Silas and Saul of Tarsus would certainly NOT want any fellow Jew to mistake this faithful young man and disciple, Timothy, as a Greek (because of his uncircumcision by his non-Jewish Greek father) as some Jews who traveled like Saul already knew.


    Acts 16 continued (with Timothy)..

    4 As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.


    Acts 15 Decisions of the Council in Jerusalem (last year)
    .. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:
     that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from sexual immorality. 
    If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. 
    
    Farewell.”

    So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.

    Acts of the Apostles 16:5 ESV

    ACTS of the apostles Silas, Paul and Timothy .. To Be Continued…


  • According to the Custom of Moses

    According to the Custom of Moses

    Paul and Barnabas have returned from Cypress and the mountain cities of nearby Asia minor after nearly two years of an amazing first missionary journey from Antioch.

    But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

    Acts of the Apostles 15:1 ESV

    TRADITION, TRADITION, TRADITION, some preach. — We all know the type (and EACH of us in our own way have danced the dance).

    Roger@TalkofJesus.com

    map of Mediterranean coastline - Jerusalem, Antioch Syria Cypress & Antioch Pisidia on Paul's first missionary journey

    And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. Acts 15:2 ESV

    ἔθος – Ethos of Μωϋσῆς

    Controversies of the Custom of Moses Continue

    ethos  Lexicon :: Strong’s G1485 – ethos

    • custom
    • usage prescribed by law, institute, prescription, rite

    ἔθος – Ethos from the Greek of Paul, Barnabas, the local language of the church at Antioch Syria from where these apostles had been sent on their mission by the Holy Spirit and the church — Ethos from the common Greek Jesus preached to the crowds of Galilee and Judea nearly two decades earlier

    ἔθνος – Ethnos NOT of Μωϋσῆς

    ethos, so similar and applicable to ethnos, that is, ἔθνος, used for ‘the nations’ or gentiles.

    ἔθνος – Lexicon :: Strong’s G1484 ethnos

    • a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together
      • a company, troop, swarm
    • a multitude of individuals of the same nature or genus
      • the human family
    • a tribe, nation, people group
    • in the OT, foreign nations not worshipping the true God, pagans, Gentiles
    • Paul uses the term for Gentile Christians

    Circumcision (and other Mosaic traditions)

    ~ A.D. 60-62 – Luke’s two accounts of the Gospel and Acts of the Apostles are published for a church suffering severe persecution throughout the Empire, including Jerusalem which is about to be destroyed by Rome in A.D. 70.

    ~ A.D. 49 – Luke’s records this encounter between some men of Judea and Gentile Christians of Antioch Syria. This takes place after their first missionary journey, leads to a council at Jerusalem and consequently to a second missionary journey (into the world of the gentiles).

    So my first reaction to such opposition is WHY is circumcision such a BIG DEAL with these men?

    ~ A.D. 32 [Jerusalem]

    Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cilicia and Asia, rose up and disputed with Stephen. .. and they set up false witnesses who said, “..we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses delivered to us.”

    Acts of the Apostles 6:9-14 ESV – excerpt from Jewish accusation of Stephen

    The issue of the LAW, covenants and traditions is NOT who has broken with tradition but who the LORD now separates to HIMSELF by the Sacrifice of Christ.

    Timeline: Moses *uncertain *(~15th or 13th c. B.C.); (Precise timeline of Joshua & the Judges of Israel uncertain.):
    David *~1000 B.C. (dates differ between various sources); Solomon ~900's B.C. - First Temple of the United Kingdom of Israel (Judah in the south & Israel in the north) ended in 931 B.C. at Solomon's death.
    
    Stephen's testimony before Jerusalem's leaders takes place about ten centuries (1000 years) after David, 
    but just two years after these judges of Herod's temple reject their Messiah Jesus.

    Acts of the Apostles

    Paul and Barnabas have prevailed over such opposition by the power of the Holy Spirit throughout their first missionary Journey already.

    Acts 13:9 But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. 

    For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,
    “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles,
    that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

    Acts of the Apostles 13:47 ESV

    The issue of salvation of the Gentiles NOT the traditions of Moses, Israel, Abraham or David.

    But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their district. – Acts of the Apostles 13:50 ESV
    Lystra, Derbe and Iconium in the Taurus mountains.

    Now at Iconium they entered together into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed.

    But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers.

    Act of the Apostles 14:1-2 ESV

    But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds [at Lystra], they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead.

    Acts of the Apostles 14:19 ESV

    And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed. – Acts 14:23 ESV

    Acts 15 of the Apostles Paul and Barnabas

    So several months back before this year of our Lord 49, the Holy Spirit anointed these apostles to be sent out from the church at Antioch. Their mission was first to the Jews, but also to Romans in the Roman cities and Greeks in the Greek cities — men NOT of the circumcision AND women as well – the ethos of the ethnos as it were — the uncustomary customs of the gentiles accepted into the Church by its Apostles and Elders as new traditions of grace in Jesus Christ.

    2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question.

    map of first century coast of Phoenicia, Samaria and Judea
    Journey from Antioch to Jerusalem via Roman roads to Tyre and Sidon in Phoenicia, Caesarea on the Samarian coast and Joppa on the Judean coast to Jerusalem is approximately 350 miles.
    So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers.

    NEXT: The Council at Jerusalem

    Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem (by the church at Antioch Syria) from where the Holy Spirit had sent them into the lands of the Gentiles.

    These apostles of Antioch continue to proclaim the Gospel as previously on this next journey of more than three-hundred miles to Jerusalem.

    The Samaritans and certainly Phoenicians of Tyre and Sidon are NOT of an ethos like the Judeans either (but Jesus had brought the Gospel to these towns too).

    The church has also added Romans in Caesarea when Peter previously visited, as had Samaritans witnessed the power of the Holy Spirit in Joppa.

    In Jerusalem Peter, Paul, Barnabas, the Apostles and many others will sort it all out as the Holy Spirit continues to bring both Jew and Gentile together in the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ.


    To be continued…

  • Why worship legends, idols and false gods?

    Why worship legends, idols and false gods?

    Why worship legends or stone idols or false gods of mythology?


    Men, why are you doing these things?

    It’s a great question, isn’t it? Paul has asked adoring crowds who would worship him, WHY are you preparing a party to worship ME?

    In case you missed the parallels of first & 21st century application from our previous post from ACTS 14:
    
    Statue of Hermes (who the crowds called Paul) in front of Grand Central Station NYC US

    Why are you treating men like God? Why do you worship legends of culture – idols of stone?

    Why do you believe the myths of what cannot possibly be true?


    These are great questions for the unenlightened masses, those with no thought of doing what is right in the eyes of God.

    Paul and Barnabas could have been worshiped like gods..

    (or Presidents.. or some football hero

    or a goddess-like media diva of the day

    i.e. Taylor Swift).

    The crowds wanted to party with these miracle-working men who made a lame man walk!

    Wow, our lesser gods could not have commanded a lame man to get up!


    The heavens declare the glory of God.
    The expanse shows his handiwork.
    Day after day they pour out speech,
    and night after night they display knowledge.

    Psalm 19:1-2 World English Bible

    Idols of Crowd frenzy – a contemporary context

    Paul and Barnabas stand up to the CROWD!

    NO EXCUSE for worshiping idols.

    NO EXCUSE for worshiping a mere man or mortal woman from our present or past.

    THEREFORE, PAUL PROCLAIMS:

    debate stage Trump, political idol of the extreme right and Biden, political idol of the extreme left.

    “We also are men of like passions with you, and bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the sky, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who in the generations gone by allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways.

    Yet he didn’t leave himself without witness, in that he did good and gave you rains from the sky and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.”

    Acts of the Apostles 14:15-17 WEB


    In essence, Paul and Barnabas tell the idol-worshipers of Lystra:

    Worship GOD and not idols of the sky and the earth and the sea.

    Do NOT worship the creation, but the Creator.

    Do NOT worship men claiming to save and heal, but only the Living God our Creator.


    Incited by all sides,

    Crowds Behave Badly

    u s capitol under siege Jan 6 2021

    It was a message as politically incorrect in first century culture as calling out false gods of our contentious 21st century culture.


    In fact (like today), these men having heard the Gospel hated Christ.

    So by their intentional blindness to Scripture they despised the Good News of Jesus Christ the Apostles persistently proclaimed in all the world.

    We cannot know for certain how long Paul and Barnabas remained in Lystra after these events, but because of their own agendas political leaders had outsiders ‘bused in’ to incite these idolatrous Lyconians, hoping to execute the messengers of grace through Christ.

    Is anything new under the sun? 
    Evil men will continue to oppose Almighty God by their own means and to their own ends -- until the judgment.

    Acts 14:

    But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and after winning over the crowds and stoning Paul, they were dragging him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.

    Acts 14:19 Legacy Standard Bible

    What a turn of events!

    The Jews at one extreme opposing their own risen Messiah Jesus in order to cling to traditions set in place by Roman-appointed officials of the Herod’s go after Paul and Barnabas.

    And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

    Gospel of Matthew 15:14b LSB

    They convince these uneducated small-town Greek idolaters of the other extreme of religion who worship ALL of the Roman and Greek gods and goddesses to join in their Jewish custom of stoning men opposed to gods.

    PAUL SPEAKS AGAINST THEIR gods!

    So when they seize Paul, they punish him, wounding the Apostle of Christ to the gentiles before his Greek admirers of Lystra

    AND then the ignorant angry mob stones Paul to death (or so they thought victoriously at the end of this hatred outburst).

    Then they drag the tortured, battered and stone-beaten corpse of Paul out of the city gates of Lystra in victory of this justice of the Jews with the pagan worshipers of this city of Zeus.


    After the hate-feeding frenzy of the crowds is complete

    Luke then adds an amazing detail of the unexpected — yet another miracle.

    For it seems once again that the Lord has used Paul and Barnabas to convert some men and women of Lystra to become disciples of The Way of Jesus Christ.

    But while the disciples stood around him, he rose up and entered the city. 

    Luke records the Act of the Apostle Paul getting up after being stoned to death and walking back into the town of Lystra!

    A day after being stoned by the Jews and Pagans

     The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe.

    Acts 14:20b

    Paul had to have been hurting with all his abrasions and wounds from being beaten so mercilessly (possibly even whipped) and stoned to death (so it seemed to all).
    
    It is a journey of about sixty miles through the mountains from Lystra to Derbe.

    What next?

    The hundred kilometer journey [60 miles] of these disciples of The Way following Barnabas further into the Taurus Mountains, accompanied by a sorely-beaten Saul of Tarsus will take a little time as we continue just a bit further to Derbe on the two-year first missionary journey of Paul.

    To be continued...
    
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