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Tag: saul

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
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
Who is this Saul, Apostle to the Gentiles?
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

Saul: a Jew of Some Reputation

We are familiar with Saul the first King of Israel, ultimately killed in battle then replaced by David. – שָׁאוּל

His Hebrew name šā’ûl means ‘desired,‘ however Saul of Tarsus was not the ‘hebrew of hebrews’ that any follower of The Way currently wants to meet.

A brilliant and well-educated man under the tutelage of Judah’s most respected Rabbi, Saul was an up-and-coming leader bound for greatness in the eyes of all of the sanhedrin. A keen observer of their political and religious tutelage, Saul seized his potential claim to fame just as the Apostles had disrupted all Jerusalem.

Saul: Witness at the Stoning of Stephen

ACTS 7 HNV

“Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

But they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and rushed at him with one accord. They threw him out of the city, and stoned him.

The witnesses placed their garments at the feet of a young man named Sha’ul.

They stoned Stephen as he called out, saying,

“Lord Yeshua, receive my Spirit!”

He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, “Lord, don’t hold this sin against them!” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

It had been some scene!

That was the day many disciples began fleeing Jerusalem and now, this Saul of Tarsus pursues them in hopes of more trials and executions like that of Stephen.

Damascus Road: Witness into all the World

Acts of Saul in Damascus

Click for English, Ukrainian & Russian translations of Деяния 9

10 Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”

And the Lord said to him,

“Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.”
ACTS 9:11-12 NASB – The Word of the Lord to Ananias in a vision

We have already witnessed the Apostles laying hands on people who then received healing. This disciple of Jesus, Ananias, may have witnessed such signs or perhaps even the stoning of Stephen.
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Remember? Click here.
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At this time Peter stood up among the brothers and sisters (a group of about 120 people were there together), and said,
Acts of the Apostles 1:15

“Lord, I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on Your name.”

Do you fear a high official of the priestly court who has authority to murder you?

Of course you do; but it is the Lord speaking in a vision to this saint in Damascus.

15 But the Lord said to him,

“Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer in behalf of My name.”
ACTS of the Apostles 9:15-16 – The word of the Lord to Ananias

Ananias anoints Saul

So Ananias departed and entered the house,

He placed his hands on him and said,

“Brother Saul,

the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.

OBEDIENCE to the Lord! on the part of Ananias.

The Lord says, GO, and he goes to Saul. And though he has good reason to fear him, Ananias fears the Lord more. He also addresses Saul as ‘brother.’ [Click here to see the embrace of this greeting to the saints.]

18 And immediately something like fish scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight,

and he got up and was baptized; and he took food and was strengthened.

Saul: Now I can see!

Савл проповедует в Дамаске
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Click for translation.
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Савл провел несколько дней с учениками в Дамаске

²⁰Immediately he began proclaiming Jesus in the synagogues:

Yeshua is the Son of God.
ACTS of the Apostles 9:20b, Complete Jewish Bible – Proclamation of Saul of Tarsus

You have to picture this NEW witness of Saul

.. in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 21 All those hearing him continued to be amazed, and were saying,

“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?”

But Saul grew stronger and kept confounding the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
Acts of the Apostle Saul 9:22

Many Days – Saul some three years later..

Luke records a little more of Saul’s conversion story in ACTS of the Apostles 9; however his reference to later readers some three decades later begins, ‘ὡς δὲ ἐπληροῦντο..’ that is: ‘When many days had elapsed..’

Saul, later records in his letter to the church in Galatia:

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

Then three years later I went up to Jerusalem to become acquainted with Cephas, and stayed with him for fifteen days.
Paul’s letter to the Galatians 1:17b [above] & 18 NASB20
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ACTS of the Apostles - To be continued...
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February 28, 2022