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The Holy Ghost! Fear of GOD also ignites the Gentiles
Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Acts of the Apostles 10:47 KJV

The Question of those ‘chosen’

Fact is that many religious men do NOT fear God.

It is true of many ‘christians‘ in this 21st century — it was true of all but a remnant of faithful ‘jews‘ in the first century in which the messiah Jesus lived, died and was risen — and it was true when His Apostles and disciples preached in the Spirit of God. Men and women do not naturally fear what we have been told about the LORD if we have not encountered Him personally.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Gospel of John 14:26 KJV

They certainly did not know what to expect when the Holy Ghost first came to various jewish disciples of Jesus.

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.
Acts of the Apostles 1:4 KJV

Peter, John and the Apostles have proclaimed Christ boldly, first in Jerusalem.

By the power of the Holy Ghost (KJV) many signs have accompanied the receiving of the Spirit among the faithful jewish followers of The Way of Jesus. Even Saul of Tarsus, zealous persecutor of The Way, has encountered the risen Lord Jesus personally and then retreated to Arabia to reconsider what the LORD has in store for him, returning to meet Peter some three years later.

Everything seems to be looking up for these remnant ‘chosen‘ followers of Jesus as they now obediently ‘GO INTO THE WORLD TO PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS!’

Beyond Jerusalem

The Apostles had encountered some internal ‘church‘ problems with their new disciples in Jerusalem.

And in those days when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration.
Acts of the Apostles 6:1 KJ21

However this ministry problem seemed to resolve quickly in spite of jewish cultural differences between Greeks and Hebrew traditions of those whose fathers had returned to Jerusalem from exile to rebuild the temple. Furthermore, at least two of new disciples became powerful preachers of the truth of the Gospel – Stephen and Philip.

⁷And the Word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly, and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.
Acts of the Apostles 6:7

Like Gentiles (sort of)

Samaria (to some jews) and also Galilee, as part of Israel separated from Judah long ago, had an ‘unjewish‘ stigma to some religious Judeans.
Cities visited by Philip the evangelist

Philip went down to the city of Samaria and began proclaiming the Christ to them. The crowds were paying attention with one mind to what was being said by Philip, as they heard and saw the signs which he was performing. 7 For in the case of many who had unclean spirits, they were coming out of them shouting with a loud voice.. – Acts 8:5-6a NASB

Note this same sign of expelling UNCLEAN SPIRITS which Jesus had done! (Most 21st centuries don't quite grasp what to make of this, but think 'controlling ghosts' as real evil influences of behavior and you are on the right track. - RH
[KJ21] 9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who earlier in the same city had used sorcery and bewitched the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great..
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When Peter and John came to Samaria, Simon asked Peter for this same power the Apostles and some disciples like Philip had demonstrated. 

The Holy Ghost appears with more POWER than any force of darkness dictating the power of evil in mortal flesh.
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But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.
Acts of the Apostles 8:20 KJV – Peter’s response to Simon the Sorcerer

THEN Philip goes much further than this: He baptizes an Ethiopian (in Gaza) – a gentile!

Luke (our gentile physician) records in ACTS:

But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he kept preaching the gospel to all the cities, until he came to Caesarea.
Acts 8:40 NASB

Philip (the Hellenist deacon) & Peter (a Galilean Hebrew Apostle)

So WHERE in the WORLD does all of this converge?

Peter had come from Jerusalem to Samaria to meet with Philip when he also met Simon who wanted the power of the Holy Ghost. We have just learned that now Peter’s missionary journeys have brought the Apostle to Joppa, BUT a Roman calls the Apostle to come to the Roman (Herod-built) port of Caesarea.

Peter and John had remained in Jerusalem for two years after Christ’s resurrection. Once Stephen was martyred most disciples of Jesus fled for other towns. But after Saul met the Lord on the road to Damascus the Gospel began to spread in different directions.

And as we have just learned in the journeys of Peter to Lydda and Joppa, the Apostle now heads north to Caesarea where Philip has been proclaiming the Gospel for sometime now.

Peter, the Hebrew-raised rock anointed by Jesus to lead His church goes to Caesarea after wrestling with the Voice of God telling this faithful jew to obey this new vision which led him to follow these Romans back to Caesarea, where these GENTILES would have worshiped PETER!

Now that you have caught up on these long journeys and Peter is on his way back to Jerusalem you might think that all will go smoothly. It doesn’t.

The HOLY Ghost
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Before we return to Jerusalem with Peter, I thought it important that we consider the NOW-INCREASING ROLE of THE HOLY SPIRIT.
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The "HOLY SPIRIT" AND the "HOLY GHOST" ARE the SAME, translated in New Testament from the SAME words in Greek: ἅγιος πνεῦμα [hagios pneuma]
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- HOLY – ἅγιος hágios, hag’-ee-os; from ἅγος hágos (an awful thing) (compare G53, G2282); sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated):—(most) holy (one, thing), saint.
  - I remind 21st c. christians of the AWESOMENESS of the SPIRIT of Almighty God by referring to the Holy Ghost here) – RH
ἅγιος, -α, -ον, (from τὸ ἄγος religious awe, reverence; ἄζω, ἅζομαι, to venerate, revere, especially the gods, parents [Curtius, § 118]), rare in secular authors; very frequent in the sacred writings; in the Sept. for קָדושׁ;
1. properly reverend, worthy of veneration: τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ θεοῦ, Luke 1:49; God, on account of his incomparable majesty, Revelation 4:8 (Isaiah 6:3, etc.), equivalent to ἔνδοξος.
- Ghost πνεῦμα pneuma From πνέω (G4154)
  - – The KJV translates Strong’s G4151 in the following manner: Spirit (111x), Holy Ghost (89x), Spirit (of God) (13x), Spirit (of the Lord) (5x), (My) Spirit (3x), Spirit (of truth) (3x), Spirit (of Christ) (2x), human (spirit) (49x), (evil) spirit (47x), spirit (general) (26x), spirit (8x), (Jesus’ own) spirit (6x), (Jesus’ own) ghost (2x), miscellaneous (21x).
  - the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son
    Click here for MORE
ACTS of the Holy Ghost

ACTS: KJV – πνεῦμα pneuma
- 1:2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost G4151 had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:
- 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost G4151 not many days hence.
- 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, G4151 and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit G4151 gave them utterance.
- 2:18 And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; G4151 and they shall prophesy:
- 4:18 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,^G4151 and they spake the word of God with boldness.
- 8:17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. G4151
- 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit G4151 of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
ACTS 10:

You know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. We are witnesses of all the things that He did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem.
Acts of the Apostles 8:38-39a NASB

38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power,
Acts 10:38 KJ21

43 To Him all the prophets bear witness, that through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.”

44 While Peter was yet speaking these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all those who heard the Word.

And the Messianic Jews who had come with Kefa were mishpoyel (standing in awe) that also upon the Goyim the matnat HaRuach Hakodesh has been poured out.
Gevurot 10:45

Orthodox Jewish Bible

46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

Peter Baptizes the Roman Gentiles

Then answered Peter,

47 “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Ghost, as well as we?”

48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.

Then they entreated him to tarry certain days.

Gevurot 11 – Orthodox Jewish Bible

And the Moshiach’s Shlichim and the Achim b’Moshiach, the ones throughout Yehudah, heard that also the non-Jews received the dvar Hashem. But when Kefa went up to Yerushalayim, those of the faction of the Bris Milah were taking issue with him, 3 Saying, “You entered into a bais of anashim arelim (uncircumcised men) and you sat at tish with them.”
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Acts of Peter welcoming the Gentiles - To be continued...
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May 13, 2022
Caesar’s Palace East welcomes PETRUS
Caesar’s Palace

Peter in Roman Sin City

A background behind Caesar’s Palace in Judea
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Initially, a few decades before..
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Caesarea is sixty some miles northwest of Jerusalem. Herod had expanded it to become one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire, which would later serve Rome as Judea’s capital. (Yes, it would later have a grande Caesar’s Palace intended for the Herodian rulers of Judea.)

Herod the Great had sold his political soul to an alliance with the great Caesar Augustus (title first claimed by Herod’s ally, Octavian). But Herod’s alliance accomplished only a brief stay of execution of Roman dominance over Judea, even as he began many magnificent building projects. These included an incomplete Temple in Jerusalem where Jesus would preach and an opulent port of Caesarea Maritima (one of several Caesar’s Palaces of these times).

Romans, Egyptians and the Greeks before them under the dominance of Alexander’s world empire worshiped MANY gods. Jerusalem’s differing parties of Jews argued constantly over such forced relationships with their pagan overseers. A Caesar or Cleopatra as one of these gods was common occurrence in the A.D. first century world where Jews mostly traded liberally with other cultures.

Caesar’s, Ptolemy’s & Herod’s

You probably know about the whoredom of Cleopatra (glamorized by Hollywood) from when the Queen of Egypt willingly made her bed with the power of Rome in order to hold onto her kingdom. (It’s a complex plot of military/political/religious drama of real life at its best.)

In fact, Jews recognized that the ruling party of the Herod’s was no less in bed with Rome than had been Cleopatra.

She had commanded a personal fleet of 60 ships and sent 200 ships to Antony at Actium [33 B.C.]. This Egyptian Pharaoh also appointed her own governors of conquered regions like Syria and Cypress.

Cleopatra had incited a war against Herod. Octavian later takes power as Caesar Augustus. [See more linked to the quote below.]

Herod, who had personally advised Antony after the Battle of Actium that he should betray Cleopatra, traveled to Rhodes to meet Octavian and resign his kingship out of loyalty to Antony. Octavian was impressed by his speech and sense of loyalty, so he allowed him to maintain his position in Judea, further isolating Antony and Cleopatra.
Wikipedia.org – citing additional sources

Herod’s new harbor of Caesarea was forty acres and could accommodate 300 ships. According to the historian Josephus, he built a “most magnificent palace” on a promontory jutting out into the waters of Caesarea and lengthy aqueduct to bring water from springs at the base of Mount Carmel nearly ten miles away.
Read more & see additional photos: https://www.bibleplaces.com/caesarea/

Enter Peter encountering Rome in Caesarea

In ~ the year of our Lord, 40
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Your additions or corrections to this approximate scenario of A.D. 40'ish from various sources are welcome as a COMMENT to this post. - RH
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- Joseph ben Caiaphas, who had condemned the Messiah JESUS to a Cross and unsuccessfully tried Peter and John remains powerful in Jerusalem.
- Pontius Pilate had been recalled from office as governor by Tiberius Caesar three years earlier after Pilate had ordered great violence to suppress a Samaritan rebelion.
- Tiberius Caesar Augustus died that same year and was succeeded by his son Caligula, who declared himself a god.
- Caligula ordered a statue of himself is to be erected in the temple at Jerusalem, but Herod delays implementation long enough to prevent widespread revolt in Judaea and prior to Caligula’s assassination by men of a succeeding Emperor, Claudius.
- Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great & Tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, whose wife Herodias had incited him to behead John the Baptist, has also died just a year earlier.
- AND NOW, The Lord has summoned Simon Peter to accompany three Roman men sent from Caesarea by a Roman military leader to find Peter in Joppa.
ACTS 10: of PETER in Caesarea
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CLICK ACTS 10 [above] to view:  New American Standard Bible; Conferenza Episcopale Italiana; Orthodox Jewish Bible; SBL Greek New Testament 
+ consider the significance of this crucial cross-cultural visit by Simon Peter to a Roman in Caesarea.
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Now on the next day he got ready and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. On the following day he entered Caesarea.
ACTS 10:23b-24a NASB

Now Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends.
- Peter has brought fellow followers of Christ, fellow jews from Joppa [v.23].
- Cornelius is A devout man, &–an uncircumcised Gentile proselyte to the Jewish faith, of whom there were a very great number at this time; a distinguished proselyte, who had brought his whole household establishment under the hallowing influence of the Jewish faith and the regular observance of its principal seasons of worship. – source
When Peter entered, Cornelius met him, and fell at his feet and worshiped him.

This is more than respect and above customary honor of one man to a delegate coming to him from another place or as a representative of the true faith he seeks.

Cornelius, a Roman Jew in every way except birth and circumcision, recognizes that Peter, is ambassador of the Messiah Jesus, a man of miracles.

Faithful and reliable men have even told him about Peter and his miracles in Jerusalem confirming the Messiah AND Jesus’ anointing of this Apostle who has now come into his presence in his Roman city of Caesarea.

Just like the healed lame man who clung to Peter at the Temple, Cornelius meets a man with the Power of the Lord who gives all credit to the Lord Jesus Christ.

26 But Peter helped him up, saying,

“Stand up; I, too, am just a man.”

27 As he talked with him, he entered and found many people assembled. And he said to them,

“You yourselves know that it is forbidden for a Jewish man to associate with or visit a foreigner;

Just let this sink in for a moment, as Peter’s Roman listeners in Caesarea certainly must have done:

Cornelius may have instructed the men in his command in this manner:

‘These JEWISH subjects of our Roman legions are NOT at all like the tolerant Hellenists we meet throughout Caesar’s Empire! So avoid them when possible.‘

Peter continues with words of comfort to these gentiles:

and yet God has shown me that I am not to call any person unholy or unclean.

That is why I came without even raising any objection when I was sent for.

NEXT:

Caesarea – (Caesar’s Palace in Judea)

Cornelius recounts his own ‘coming to Jesus’ experience at Caesar’s Palace East in Caesarea.
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To be continued...
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April 21, 2022
Saul: Encouragement in Christ from Cypress
Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement) owned a tract of land. So he sold it, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
ACTS of the disciples of the Apostles 4:36-37 NASB20

Encouragement of Christ’s Apostles by Joseph of Cypress

“Just a moment,” you are likely thinking. “I remember this from That’s Not Fair! Possessions and Community, but I thought that now Luke is talking about Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9?”

Last time, Luke’s account included not only Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus, CALLED BY THE RISEN CHRIST JESUS, but also a two disciples of The Way: Ananias, to whom the Lord spoke in a vision, and Judas of Damascus (in the house on Straight Street where BOTH encouraged the blinded and FEARED Saul of Tarsus.)

παράκλησις – more than just Encouragement
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click here for more encouragement
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Of course if the Lord had appeared to you directly, as was the case with both Ananias and Saul, YOU too would obey. But just as Jesus had called James and John a descriptive nickname, “the Sons of Thunder,” and called “Simon son of John, Peter or ‘the Rock,’ so have Peter and the Apostles had named Joseph, Barnabas, or Son of Encouragement.
- paraklēsis Outline of Biblical Usage
  - a calling near, summons, (esp. for help)
  - importation, supplication, entreaty
  - exhortation, admonition, encouragement
  - consolation (14x), comfort, solace; that which affords comfort or refreshment
- thus of the Messianic salvation (so the Rabbis call the Messiah (or Christ, in Greek) the consoler, the comforter)
  - persuasive discourse, stirring address
    (the speech of Stephen to the sanhedrin?)
  - instructive, admonitory, conciliatory, powerful hortatory discourse
- (much of the preaching of Paul we are about to hear on his missionary journeys in Acts of the Apostles and his letters to the Churches.)
נַחֲמ֥וּ נַחֲמ֖וּ עַמִּ֑י יֹאמַ֖ר אֱלֹהֵיכֶֽם׃
2 דַּבְּר֞וּ עַל־לֵ֤ב יְרֽוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ וְקִרְא֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יהָ כִּ֤י מָֽלְאָה֙ צְבָאָ֔הּ כִּ֥י נִרְצָ֖ה עֲוֺנָ֑הּ כִּ֤י לָקְחָה֙ מִיַּ֣ד יְהוָ֔ה כִּפְלַ֖יִם בְּכָל־חַטֹּאתֶֽיהָ׃ ס
3 ק֣וֹל קוֹרֵ֔א בַּמִּדְבָּ֕ר פַּנּ֖וּ דֶּ֣רֶךְ יְהוָ֑ה יַשְּׁרוּ֙ בָּעֲרָבָ֔ה מְסִלָּ֖ה לֵאלֹהֵֽינוּ׃
Isaiah 40:1-3 “Comfort, comfort my people,” says your God.

Encouragement & Comfort

Encouragement and comfort become the Gospel Good NEWS to a God-pursued people. And let’s not forget the context of persecution of both Jews and Christians not only in Acts of the Apostles, but throughout the history of the world.

Skipping ahead just a bit in Luke’s account before we proceed with Saul of Tarsus:

ACTS 9:31

So the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria enjoyed peace, as it was being built up; and as it continued in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort G3874 of the Holy Spirit, it kept increasing.

And later in ACTS 11:19 Luke gives us the present context of Saul in Jerusalem in Acts 9:

So then those who were scattered because of the persecution that occurred in connection with Stephen made their way to Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews alone.
Acts 11:19 NASB20

Tarsus of Saul, Cypress of Joseph, Damascus of Ananias, Phoenicia (Lebanon) Antioch is in Syria – God into all the world…

Escape from Damascus
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Previously..
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Who is this Saul, Apostle to the Gentiles?

I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus.

ACTS 9: of Saul in Damascus

Saul was with the disciples in Damascus for some time.

20 Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues: “He is the Son of God.”

21 All who heard him were astounded and said, “Isn’t this the man in Jerusalem who was causing havoc for those who called on this name and came here for the purpose of taking them as prisoners to the chief priests?”

22 But Saul grew stronger and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
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Saul leaves Damascus, spends three years in the wilderness of Arabia, THEN returns.
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23 After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, but Saul learned of their plot. So they were watching the gates day and night intending to kill him, but his disciples..

[NOTE Luke’s description, that these are now disciples of the Apostle Saul of Tarsus!]

..took him by night and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall.
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ACTS of SAUL OF TARSUS to be continued in Jerusalem...
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March 9, 2022