Reading for July 7th

 Read Nehemiah 2.9-16. In 2.9-16: Nehemiah's coming to Jerusalem. As with the account of Ezra, there are few details of the lengthy journey from Persia to Jerusalem. The focus is on significant opposition to Nehemiah's task and his consequent need to be cautious in his planning. In verse 9: Gave them the king's letters: Since Nehemiah came directly from the imperial court, it would be convenient for him to carry vital dispatches as well as official declarations of his office. The king had sent officers of the army and cavalry with me highlights both the military nature of Nehemiah's commission and the importance the imperial court placed on his success. In verse 10: Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official: Sanballat is a Babylonian name and is known from Aramaic documents of the Persian period to have been the name of the governor of the Persian district of Samaria. Horonite probably means his family was from beth-horon, two israelite cities located some 12 miles north of Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 8.5) and controlling a strategic pass. Tobiah is a Hebrew name, his exact role is less certain. The Ammonite official is perhaps a reference to his region of Administrative responsibility. Some have linked him to a powerful family of the same name of a later period that had significant interests in the Transjordan. Others have suggested he is the same as the Tabeel of Ezra, apparently a junior official  in the regional administration. As a Ammonite (if this is a reference to family of origin), Tobiah would be excluded from the "assembly" of Israel (Deut 23.3-6). It displeased them: Perhaps because the new preference the imperial court is showing to Jerusalem, which will bring new revenues and prestige to the city. In verse 11: The account of the rest of the three days parallels Ezra's account (Ezra 8.32). In verse 13: I went out by night by the Valley Gate: Nehemiah's inspection of the city's fortifications that could be communicated to the king and cause delay in the project. His inspection tour seems to follow the area known as the "City of David," a spur of land that lies along the western edge of the Kidron valley south of the temple area. Nehemiah moves from the northwest corner of this region along the city's walls, which stretched southeastward along the city wall, which stretched southeastward until they turned and went back north above the Kidron. Comments or Questions..

Reading for July 6th

 Read Nehemiah 2.1-8. In 2.1-8: Artaxerxes' grant to Nehemiah. Just as Ezra's mission was the result of a gracious act by Artaxerxes, so Nehemiah's appointment as governor is by the favor of the same king. This account shows the conditions of Nehemiah's appointment and underscores God's working through both Artaxerxes and Nehemiah. In verse 1" In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year: Nisan is early spring roughly March-April in our calendar, some three months after receiving the report of 1.3. The twentieth year of Artaxerxes would place this in 445BCE, about 13 years after Ezra's mission. In verse 3: The city, the place of my ancestor's graves, lies waste is a somewhat exaggerated description, though it is probable that sections of the city remain uninhabitable from the ruins of the Babylonian conquest. In verse 6: How long will you be gone, and when will you return? Artaxerxes' reply assumes the granting of Nehemiah's request to rebuild Jerusalem, and the value of Nehemiah to the court. In verse 8: To give me timber to make beams for the gates of the temple fortress, and for the wall of the city: Nehemiah's task in rebuilding the city will include refortification, something the Persian empire would not allow without royal dispensation. Since the beams over the gate ways need to be of larger and stronger wood than is readily available in the region, Nehemiah asks for timber from the imperially controlled sources, probably the cedar forests of Lebanon. The granting of timber supplies was also the empowering of Nehemiah to refortify the city, an act undertaken because of troubled conditions in the Egyptian holdings of the empire. the gracious hand of my God was upon me parallels Ezra's claim of divine support (Ezra 7.6, 28). Comments or Questions..

Reading for July 5th

 NEHEMIAH'S MISSION

1.1-7.5: Nehemiah opens with a first person narrative relating his concerns over Jerusalem and the Persian monarch's appointment of himself as governor over the province. The bulk of the account covers the various incidents of Nehemiah's rule as governor as he attempted to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. The narrative must constantly balance Nehemiah's leadership of the community and the active opposition of leaders in the surrounding areas. These are several points of connection with the first person narratives of the book of Ezra.

Read Nehemiah 1.1-11. In 1.1-11: Nehemiah's concern over Jerusalem.  The opening explains Nehemiah's appointment as governor and his relentless pursuit of the rebuilding of the city walls. The section ends with a lengthy prayer that gives voice to the author's concept of the proper approach to God. In verse 1: The words of Nehemiah: The Hebrew term for words can also be rendered "matter." The opening does not necessarily support the existence of a "Nehemiah memoir." In the twentieth year : Apparently the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes (see 2.1). Susa was a season a palace for the Persian monarchs, though Artaxerxes seemed to have favored it and spent protracted periods there. In verse 2: One of my brothers may indicate a family member (see 7.2) or may simply mean a colleague. The Jews that survived: it is unclear what specific group or groups Nehemiah is asking about, but the main point is his concern with the entire community's welfare as well as the city's. In verse 3: The wall of Jerusalem is broken down: this should have been known, following on the destruction of the city by the Babylonians in 587 BCE. Some believe the report must relate to a more recent event, and suggest that the events of Ezra 4.23 may provide the background, though nothing in that account would suggest a destruction of the work that had been accomplished. Possibly the report is taken as a sign of the royal disapproval of Ezra 4.23. The wall of Jerusalem is still broken down,  and thus Nehemiah must try a different means to aid Jerusalem. Given the use of the terms such as great trouble and shame, another possibility is that the wall and gates are metaphors for the separation that Ezra was trying to achieve. In verse 4: I sat down and wept, and mourned for days: this is a sign of grief,and also a sign of the literary character of the account, since it is hard to conceive of a figure as forceful as Nehemiah acting so victimized for several months. In verse 5: God of heaven was a characteristic title for God in the Persian period (see Ezra 7.12, 23). In verse 10: They are your servants and your people: After confessing his own guilt, Nehemiah calls on God to remember his people since Nehemiah's prayer on their behalf. In verse 11: Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man: Nehemiah apparently has formed a plan to address them is fortunes of Jerusalem, but the reader does not yet know what it is. Man is clearly a reference to Artaxerxes. In the Persian court, cupbearer as a formal office, with responsibility for ensuring the safety of the kings\'s wine supply as well as acting as a royal adviser. Comments or questions..

Reading for July 4th

 Read Acts 28.16-31. In 28.16-31: Paul's arrival in Rome. In verse 16: Chained (v. 20) to a soldier, Paul lives in Rome under house arrest for two years (v. 30). In verse 17: Paul takes the imitative to consult with local leaders of the Jews (vv. 17-22), identifying with them as brothers (2.37; 15.13; 22.2; 23.6; 28.21) of our people and our ancestors (22.3; 24.14; 26.6). In verse 18: On the Roman desire to release Paul, see comment on 26.31. In verse 19: The objections of the Jews have been recounted in detail (20.27-29; 22.21-22; 23.1-10; 24.2-9; 25.2, 7, 15, 18-19, 24; 26.2-3). Paul's appeal to the emperor (25.11-12) is as a defendant, not bringing a charge or case against Israel. In verse 20: Paul is not only defending him self but the hope of Israel for God's promised restoration (see. 1.6; 3.21), in augurated through the resurrection of the messiah, Jesus (24.14-15; 26.6-7, 16-18, 21-23). In verse 21: Letters often accompanied visits as official means of communication (9.2; 15.22-23). In verse22: On the Way as a Jewish sect or "party" see 5.17; 15.5; 24.5, 14; 26.5. In verse 23: Paul's explanation of Israel's scriptures (17.1-4; 18.4, 28; 19.8-9), that is Moses and the prophets (see Lk 24.27, 44; Acts 3.22-24; 26.22) In verse 24: The divided response is characteristic of both gentile and Jewish audiences (2.12-13; 14.1-2, 4; 17.32-34; 18. 21.20, 25), but to say refused to believe is to make a prophetic judgment (compare 18.27). In verse 25: Isa 6.9-10 is cited as reproof of the Holy Spirit, where God promises as cited against Israel or a portion of Israel to call for repentance, never as a final verdict (see also Jesus in Lk 8.10; Acts 13.40-41; Rom 11.8). In verse 28: For a third time (13.46-47; 18.6) the Gentile mission is a warning to those in Israel who do not believe (Rom 9-11). Paul's mission does not display undivided listening among gentiles either. In verse 29: This verse is not recorded in the best manuscripts, but echoes the divided response of verse 24. In verse 30: To live at his own expense may suggest enough freedom (v. 16) to practice his trade (18.3). All who came to him probably means both Jews and gentiles (vv. 24, 28). In verse 31: The boldness of apostolic witness (2.29; 4.13, 29, 31; 9.27-28; 13.46; 14.3; 18.26; 19.8) continues without hinderance in accord with God's promise (23.11), even in the midst of opposition and chains. Comments or Blessings..

Reading for July 3rd

 Read Acts 28.7- 15. In verses 8-9: Paul's healing of the fever of Publius' father followed by the healing of the people recalls Jesus' healing of Peter's mother (Lk 4.38_40). In verses 12-15: The Last phases of the voyage lead from Syracuse on Sicily, to Rhegium on the toe of Italy, to dock at Puteoli, the great port of Naples. Then the group travels overland through places called the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns with Christian believers coming south from Rome to meet us.  Comments or Questions..

Reading for July 2nd

 Read Acts 27.27-28.6. In 27.33: Paul intervenes for the fourth time (vv.10, 21, 31). In verse 34: On the assurance that they will not lose a hair from your heads, see Lk 21.18; 12.7. In verses 43-44: So Paul was saved, and so all were saved (27. 24). In 28.3: A viper (Lk 3.7) could refer to many varieties of snakes, which traditional reharded as representing spiritual forces. In verse 4: Justice is viewed by the locals as a personal power executing vengeance on one who almost escaped (Am 5.19). In verse 6: His power over snakes (Lk 10.18-19; My 16.18) makes them think he is a god (14.11-12). Comments or Questions..

Reading for July 1st.

 Read Acts 27.1-26. In 27.1-28.31: Paul's journey to Rome. In 27.2-28.15: This journey is filled with nautical details, but less theological content then the rest of the Acts narrative. In 27.9-11: The fast or "Day of Atonement," appears to be a calendar reference for the late season (contrast 20.16) In verse 17: The sea anchor provided dag but did not arrest the ship's movement. In verses 21-25: I have faith in God echoes 24.15. Paul testifies that the safety of the journey on God's promise to him (23.11) rather than the ineptitude of their sailing. In verse 26: Paul predicts the ship wreck on Malta (28.1),  Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 30th

 Read Acts 24-32. In verse 24: Paul's learning is Jewish scriptural interpretation (Mt 9.13). In verses 26-27: Like Cornelius (10.28), King Agrippa could be expected to know this much about the prophetic tradition. In verse 28: The question is whether he can be so quickly persuaded by Christian scriptural interpretation. In verse 31: Like Jesus, who was declared innocent three times by Pilate with counsel albeit absurd) from Herod Antipas I (Lk 23.4, 14, 22), Paul is exonerated by Lysias (23.29), Festus (23.25), and now by felix with counsel from Herod Antipas II. But neither was released. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 29th

 Read Acts 26.12-23. In verses 13-14: Several details heighten the earlier accounts: brighter than the sun, we had all fallen to the ground; a voice in the Hebrew language. Kicking against the goads is the action of a stubborn resistance to divine prodding. In verse 16: To serve and testify corresponds to the calling or ministers and witnesses (Lk 1.2; Acts 1.22; 2.32; 10.39, 41). In verses 17-18: Paul's mission is again focused on the gentiles (see 22.21 in contrast to 9.15) to bring them into the promise to Israel. The text echoes with the promise of light and forgiveness of Isa 42.7, 16, and Acts 2.39-39. Satan is directly mentioned in Lk 10.18; 11.18; 13.16; 22.3, 31; Acts 5.3. In verse 20: Paul's account focuses on Palestine (1.8 with no mention of his mission in Asia Minor or Greece. In verse 22: Like Jesus in Luke 24.27, 44 (see also Lk 16.31). Paul claims the fulfillment of the prophets and Moses. In verse 23: The necessity of the suffering of the Messiah is a central affirmation in the scriptural interpretation of Luke and Acts. (See comments on Lk 24.25-27; Acts 3.18) The promise of light both to our people and to the Gentiles is a thematic allusion to Isa 49.6 (see also 1.8; 13.47). Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 28th

 Read Acts 26.1-11. In verse 1: In contrast to Jesus' silence before Agrippa I (Lk 23.7-12), Paul stretched out his hand in the presence of Agrippa II to silence the crowd like an orator (13.16; 19.33; 21.40). In verse 3: The customs and controversies of the Jews either do not interest or confuse the Romans (18.14-17; 22.30; 23.10, 29; 25.19-20, 26). In verse 5: Even as a follower of the Way, Paul continues to claim to be a true Pharisee (15.5). In verse 6: To be on trial on account of my hope in the promise is also to be on trial for the resurrection (24.14-15). In verse 7: The promise that our twelve tribes hope to attain restoration (1.6; 3.21), which includes worship day and night as the goal (Lk 1.74-75) as well as a way to attain restoration. In verse 8: That God raise the dead may or may not be incredible (17.32). But Paul presents Jesus' resurrection as God's way of keeping the promise "made to our ancestors" (26.6, 23). In verses 9-18: This is the third account of Paul's transforming vision (9.1-22; 22.3-21). In verses 10-11: Paul's casting his vote against them may refer to his approval of Stephen's death (8.1). To call them the saints whom he was trying to force to blaspheme is to adopt the point of view of the believers. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 27th

 Read Acts 25.13-27. In verse 13: Herod Agrippa II, son of Agrippa I (Lk 3.1; 13.31; 23.6-12; Acts 12.1, 6, 20-23), and his sister Bernice pay the respects that client kings give to imperial representatives. In verse 19: Festus partially understands that the dispute is about the resurrection (23.6; 24.20). In verse 21: His imperial Majesty is the emperor Nero. In verse 24: The whole Jewish community is a clear overstatement. In verses 26-27: Festus' quest for something to write is comparable to Pilates problem when he declared Jesus had done "nothing to deserve death" (Lk 23.15; but see 23.38). Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 26th

 Read Acts 25.1-12. In verse 1: Caesarea was the Roman city Herod the Great built on the Mediterranean, and Jerusalem was high in the Judean hills. In verse 5: Those who have the authority are the "leading men," probably linked closely with the Temple. In verse 10: Paul's innocence of the charges has been his defense to which the tribune (23.29) and narrator have agreed (25.7), but Festus' opinion (as you very well know is far ( 25.18-20, 26-27; 26.31- 32) only indicated through Paul (contrast Pilate in Lk 23.13, 20, 22). In verses 11-12: Only Roman citizens could appeal to the emperor (16.37-38; 22.25-29). Comments or Questions.

Reading for June 25th

 Read Acts 24.22-27. In verse 22: Lysias has already been quite clear in his judgment (23.29). In verse 24: Drusilla, the daughter of Herod Agrippa I, was criticized for "transgressing the ancestral laws" by leaving her husband to marry Felix (Josephus, Antiquites 20.141-143). Faith in Christ Jesus again means the belief that Jesus is the messiah (see 2.31, 36; 10.38). In verse 25-26: Standard Hellenistic ethical discourse on justice and self-control becomes urgent when linked with Jewish and messianist convictions about the  coming judgment (24.15). In verse 27: Porcius Festus became procurator around 59-60 CE. The idea of granting the Jews a favor (also 25.9) reflects the relationship of the Roman occupation force with Judean leadership. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 24th

Read Acts 24.1-21. In 24.1-26.32: Paul's testimony before governors and kings. In 24.1: Tertullus presents a Roman legal argument (contrast Lk 10.25) on behalf of the high priest, but may not have been a Jew himself (24.9). In verse 2: Even cruel Roman rulers like Pilate (Lk 13.1; 23-24) were held responsible for keeping the peace ("pax Romana"), In verses 3-4: Excessive gratitude did not disguise the unrest and insurrection surrounding Felix's administration or his reputation for abuse of office. In verse 5: The charge that Paul is an agitator echoes what was said against Jesus before Pilate (Lk 23.2, 5, 14), but  now throughout the Roman world (Gk., "oikoumene"). This is the only instance in which the "Christians" (11.26) are called the sect or party (28.22) of the Nazarenes, probably referring to followers of the messiah from Nazareth (Lk 18.37). In verse 6: Profaning temples, a serious charge in any part of the Roman realm (19.35-37), was the specific cause Paul's arrest (21.28). In verse 10: Paul's cheerful defense signifies his appreciation for Felix's knowledge (24.22) and more critically "his hope in God" because he is on trial for the resurrection (22.15; 26.6-7). In verse 12: Jesus did dispute publicly in the temple (Lk 19.47-21.38; 22.53). In verses 14-15: Paul defends the Way (see 9.2) as a Jewish sect or party (23.6-9; 24.5) teaching of the resurrection from the law and the prophets (Lk 24.27, 44-48). In verse 16: A clear conscience is needed for the judgment (17.31; 24.25). In verses 18-21: See 21.17-22.10. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 23rd

 Read Acts 23.11-35. In 23.11-35: Paul in protective custody. In verse 11: This night vision introduces the last phase of the apostle's journey toward Rome. In verses 16-22: The son of Paul's sister is only known from this story. In verses 23-24: The large numbers indicate a full military contingent. Felix was the governor in Palestine from 52  to 60 CE. In verse 27: Paul's status as a Roman citizen is again the source of his protection (16.37-38; 22.25-27). In verse 29: On questions of their law, see also 18.15; 25.8; 26.3. In verse 31: Antipatris was founded by Herod the Great on the road from Jerusalem to Caesarea. In verse 34: As with Pilate and Jesus ( Lk 23.6-7), the governor involves Herod ia a dispute about someone from his territory. In verse 35: Herod's headquarters was a secure bastion. Comments or Questions.

Reading for June 22nd

Read Acts 22.22-23.20. In 22.22: Compare the reaction of the crowd to this inclusive mission to Luke's account of Jesus in the synagogue in Nazareth (Lk 4.16-30). In verse 23: Shouting (7.57; 14.14), throwing ... cloaks (14.14; 18.6), and tossing dust (13.51) are ritual acts to prevent the evil of Paul's words. In verse 24: Flogging was a standard Roman method of interrogation. In verses 25-27: This passage and 16.37-39 give a glimpse into Luke's understanding of the right of Roman citizenship. In verse 28: Since he bears the name of Claudius (23.6), the tribune probably purchased his citizenship during the reign of Claudius (41-54 CE). In verse 30: The tribune's ability to order the chief priests and the entire council to meet discloses the thorough control of the Roman order. In 23.1: Living with a clear conscience before God means fidelity to the law (23.3; 24.14-16). In verse 2: In Jn 18.22, Jesus  was struck on the face for his answer to the high priest. In verse 3: Paul invokes a biblical judgment (Deut 28.22) defending (7.53). In verse 5: Paul's question of Ex 22.27 is a evidently obey the law. In verses 6-9: The hope of the resurrection is a central issue (24.20-21), not merely a device to divide the crowd. Jesus also challenged the Sadducees on the resurrection with a scriptural argument the Pharisees and their scribes accepted (Lk 22.27-40). In verse 7: On the dissension within Israel see also 14.4. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 21st

 Read Acts 22.12-21. In verses 12-14: Ananias is now credited with being devout according to the law (9.10), and he speaks for the God of our ancestors (9.17). For Jesus' identity as the Righteous One, see comments on Lk 23.47;  Acts 3.14; 7.52. In verses 17-18: The story of Paul's trance in the temple , only told here, recalls Peter's trance (10.10; 11.5) and echoes the call of Isaiah in the Temple (Isa 6.1-13). In verse 21: Paul's commission is now even more like Isaiah's "light to the gentiles" (see comments  on Acts 1.8), and the people of Israel are not mentioned (9.14). Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 20th

 Read Acts 21.37-22.11. In 21.38: The Egyptian was a famous Jewish "prophet" who led a rebellion in the era of Felix, around 54 CE (Josephus, War 2.261-263; Antiquities 20.168-172). The assassins were cloak-and-dagger killers fighting Rome (Josephus, War 2.254-257; Antiquities 20.186-188). In verse 40: On the Hebrew language, see 22.2. In 22.1-22: Like 26.1-23, this defense (Gk., "apologia) speech (see also 24.1-21) retells the story of Acts 9.1-31. In verse 3: Gamaliel has already appeared in 5.33-39, advocate in that the council be restrained in its response to the apostles. Being zealous for God is closely tied to strict observance of our ancestral law (see also "zealous for the law" in 21.20; Gal 1.14; Rom 10.2-4). In verse 4: This Way means the followers of Jesus as messiah (9.2; 19.9, 23) Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 19th

 Read Acts 21.27-36. In 21.26-23.10: Conflicts in the Temple. In verses 26-28: In Luke-Acts, the temple was a  place where Jesus and Stephen also testified in face of the the extended provocation of adversaries (Lk 20.1-21.4; Acts 6.8-7.60; Acts 3.1-4.31), including charges of teaching ... against ... this place (6.13; Lk21.21.5-6). In verses 30-21; Luke depicts a mob dragging Paul outside the sacred precincts to kill him as a temple defiler (see also Jesus in Lk 4.16-30 and Stephen in Acts 6-7), prompting the Roman army tribute (Claudius Lysias 23.2) to call out his cohort of a thousand soldiers (see also Gallio in 18.12-17; 19.28-41). Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 18th

Read Acts 21.17-26. In 21.17-28.31: On trial for the promise. In 27.17-25: The leaders of the church in Jerusalem receive Paul. In verses 17-20: The brothers (15.1, 13) represent the board assembly if believers who now receive Paul warmly, and James and the elders join them in hearing about the mission among the Gentiles (15.12). But their concern is focused only on how may thousands of believers (2.41; 4.4; 6.7) there are among the Jews, all zealous for the law (15.21). In verse 21: The false charge is literally that Paul is teaching the Jews apostasy from Moses. In verse 25: The agreement about the Gentiles (15.19-29) remains in force. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 17th

 Read Acts 21.1-16. In verse 2: The earlier mission in Phoenicia was briefly mentioned in 11.19. In verse 4: Taking their words literally would prevent Paul from going to Jerusalem (16.6-7), but the context makes it clear this is a prophetic warning (20.23; 21.12-14). In verse 8: Philip the evangelist (6.3-6) arrived in Caesarea in 8.40 (see also 8.4-13, 26-39). In verse 9: On women prophets, see 2.18. In verse 10: On Agabus the prophet see 11.27. In verse 11: The use of Paul's belt as a symbol of his being bound by the Holy Spirit (20.22) has prophetic precedents (Jer 19.1-3; Ezek 4.1-17; Peter's belt in John 19.18-19). In verse 13: "I am ready ... to die" is a mature conviction in this passage (20.24; contrasts Lk 22.33). Jerusalem is the place in prophetic tradition where God's prophets and apostles meet the most intense opposition (see Lk 11.49-51; 13.33-34). In verse 14: Luke's entire narrative is alive to the question of how the Lord will is accomplished in the midst of rejection (see Lk 22.24; 23.25; Acts 18.21). In verse 15: The arrival in Jerusalem (v. 17) concludes this section of Paul's travel narrative, as also for Jesus in Lk 19.28. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 16th

 Read Acts 20.13-38. In verse 16: Pentecost was a time for Jewish pilgrimage to Jerusalem (see comments on 2.9-11; 20.6-7). In verses 17-18: In Acts, the elders of the church are appointed locally with divine authority comparable to the apostles (11.30; 14.23; 15.2, 4, 6, 22, 23; 16.4), and Paul's account of his ministry and farewell condemnation in vv. 18-35 is addressed to them. In verse 19: The apostle's trials (Gk., "peirosmos"; see Lk 4.2; 1 Thess 3.5; Gal 4.14) are spiritual tests as well as human conflicts. Humility and tears are signs of a ministry like Jesus' (Lk 19.41-44, 22.24-27). In verse 20: "I did not shrink" is another way of claiming apostolic boldness ( 4.13; 9.27-28; 13.46; 19.8). In verses 21: On both Jews and Greeks see 13.44-48; 14.27; 17.4,11,17; 18.5-6, 19; 19.8-10, 17). The content of the repentance toward God or "conversion' (Gk., "mentanoia") proclaimed in Acts is specifically faith toward our Lord Jesus ( 2.38; 3.19; 5.31; 11.18; 17.30; 26.20). In verses 22-23: To be captive to the Spirit who testifies to me in every city is to be bound by God's determined purpose is suffering rather than power (see 19.21; 21.11). Paul's direct journey comes to a climax in the temple in Jerusalem (Lk 9.51; 13.22, 33-34; 19.11, 28, 41-44). In verse 24: The journey or mission is an athletic course to finish (13.25; 1 Cor 9.24; Phil 3.4; 2 Tim 4.7). The ministry ... I received from the Lord Jesus stands in contrast to Paul's earlier self-appointed mission (9.1, 15; 22.3-10; 26.9-18). In verse 26: To be not responsible for the blood of any of you means Paul has fulfilled his calling with regard to them and their lives (18.6). In verse 28: The elders of the congregation are entrusted with the office of overseers (Gk., "episkopos"), and the church of God is both local and a larger spiritual reality (1 Cor 1.2 "the church of God that is in Corinth"). In verses 29-31: Paul's warning against wolves (Ezek 22.27; Lk 10.30 sounds an alert (Lk 13.37-39) against false teachers who distort the truth (Lk 9.41; Acts 13.10). In verse 35: This traditional saying is not otherwise attributed to the Lord Jesus (but see Lk 6.35-36, 38; 1 Clement 2.1). In verse 36: Paul knelt down and prayed as Jesus did following his farewell to his disciples (Lk 22.41; Acts 21.5-6). Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 15th

 Read Acts 20.1-12. In 20.1-22.6: Going to Jerusalem. In 20.1: The journey to Macedonia announce in 19.22 now resumes. In verse 3: A plot ... against him by the Jews again prompts movement (9.24; 20.19; 23.30). In verse 4: Paul's companions gather from a variety of places, perhaps to bring an offering together to Jerusalem (20.16; 24.17; Rom 15.16; 2 Cor 9.1). In verses 6-7: The entourage observes the Jewish practice of the days of Unleavened Bread, which Luke identifies with Passover (Lk 22.20, timing its travel by the Liturgical calendar (20.18), but now breaking of bread in Christian worship on the first day of the week (Lk 24.1; Acts 2.42, 46; 1 Cor 16.2; Rev 1.10). In verses 9-10: Eutychus, whose name means "good fortune," is unknown outside this story. Paul's discernment of whether the boy was dead or sleeping recalls Jesus' miraculous action with Jairus' daughter in Lk 8.52 and the actions of Elijah (1 Kings 17.17-24) and Elisha (2 Kings 4.32-37). Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 14th

 Read Acts 19.21-41. In verse 21: The themes of resolve in the Spirit and  necessity for the journey ("I must also see Rome') disclose divine direction (Lk 9.51-62; 13.31-35). In verse 22: On Timothy, see 16.1. Erastus is mentioned in Rom 16.23and 2 Tim 4.20. In verse 24: Artemis was the famed hunter goddess, called Diana in Latin. In verse 26: Paul's prophetic speech against idols made with hands (17.24) endangered whole guilds of workers. In  verse 28: Artemis of the Ephesians was a title that reflected special patronage for the city. In verse 29: A theater in Ephesus seating 25, 000 has been excavated. In verses 31-33: The officials of the province of Asia and the Jewish spokesman Alexander can not protect Paul from the mob. In verses 35: The town clerk restores order with a recitation of the public piety of the Artemis cult. The statue that fell from heaven may have been a meteorite that was though to be an image of the goddess. Even its coinage marked Ephesus as the temple keeper. In verse 37: Temple robbers were especially hatred in antiquity because the temples marked cultural integrity of the cites and often served as banks. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 13th

 Read Acts 19.1-20. In verses 1-7: The distinctive messianic baptism of the Way is again (see comment on 18.24-25) contrasted to other Jewish washings or baptisms of repententance, including John's baptism in the name of Lord Jesus is accompanied by the laying on of hands and confirmed by the Holy Spirit as "the repentance that leads to life" (10.45-48; 11.15-18). In verses 8-10 This brief summary reports two years and three months in Ephesus. The stubborn refusal in the synagogue is another prophetic diagnosis of hardening (7.51; 14.2; 28.26-28), explaining the move to the non-Jewish lecture hall of Tyrannus without recounting the argument there. In verse 11: Miracles are powerful acts, displaying divine presence (2.22; 4.33; 6.8; 8.13; 10.38). In verse 12: The use of physical means for healing was common Hellenistic practice (5.15-16). In verses 13-14: The itinerant Jewish exorcists were probably not well regarded in the synagogues (13.6; their use of name of the Lord Jesus was not informed by faith, and there is no record of a legitimate high priest named Sceva. In verse 15: The evil spirits were known for sassy talk (Lk 4.34; 8.28). In verses 18-19: The apostles powerful acts are again sharply distinguished from magic (8.4-25; 13.4-12). In verse 20: The power that triumphs in the story is not the apostle's own, but the word of the Lord. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 12th

 Read Acts 18.18-28. In verse 18: Paul appears to cut his hair at the beginning of taking a special vow, in contrast to shaving his head at the completion of the vow at the Temple (Num 6.1-21; Acts 21.24). In verse 21: Some ancient copies stress the necessity of Paul's journey to Jerusalem in terms similar to Jesus' mission (Lk 9.51-53; 13.33; Acts 19.21; 20.22). In verse 22: This brief visit appears significant only as a display of Paul's respect for the church in Jerusalem. In verses 24-25: Apollos introduces the scriptural interpretations associated with the Hellenistic Jewish traditions of Alexandria (1 Cor 1.12; 3.4-6, 22; 4.6; 16.12) The baptism of John is a preparation for the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Lk 3.16; Acts 1.5; 11.16; 19.3-5). In verse 26: Priscilla and Aquilla are both teachers (18.2) of the way (9.2; 16.17; 19.9; 22.4; 24.22). In verse 27: 1 Cor 1-4 attests the impact of Apollos' mission in Achaia. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June11th

 Read Acts 18.1-l7. In 18.1-19.41: The mission in Corinth and Ephesus. In verse 2: Aquila and Priscilla appear as partners in ministry with Paul in many contexts (18.18, 26; Rom 16.3; 1 Cor 16.19; 2 Tim 4.19).. Claudius' edict expelling the Jews from Rome is dated around 49 CE. In verse3: Like rabbis and philosophers who worked with their hands (1 Thess 2.9; 2Thess 3.6-8; 1 Cor 4.12; 9.6), they practice their trade of tentmaking to avoid becoming a burden to their hearers. In verse 5: The crucial message remains that Jesus is the messiah (see 2.31-32; 3.18-20; 10.38-43; 18.28). In verse 6 To shake the dust from his clothes is a prophetic act of judgment (Lk 10.11; Acts 13.51), consistent with holding people responsible for their own lives or blood upon rests their heads (2 Sam 1.16; 1 Kings 2.33). Paul's second threat is to  go to the Gentiles (13.46; 28.28) is also prophetic reproach, but he soon returns to a synagogue (18.19). In verse 8: Crispus is probably the one mentioned by Paul in 1 Cor1.14 as one of the few he baptized. In verses 9-10: The Lord speaking in the vision must be the Lord Jesus,  but perhaps through a messenger (9.10; 10/3; 16.). Do not be afraid ... I am with you in an assurance of divine presence (Isa 41.10; 43.5; Jer 1.8, 19; Mt 28.20). In verse 12: According to an inscription found in Corinth, Gallio was named proconsul by Emperor Claudius in late 51 CE. In verse 13: Their charge against Paul is not general sedition (16.20-21; 17.7) but violation of the law of Israel. In verses 14-17: Gallio refuses to become involved in an intra-Jewish debate (24.20-22; 26.3). Comments or Questions... 

Reading for June 10th

 Read 17.16-34. In 17.16-34: Paul in Athens. In verse 16: Paul's distress at idols is a classic Jewish judgment (v. 28; Isa 41.21-24; 44.9-20; 45.1-25). In verse 17: The marketplace (Gk., "agora") was where philosophers publically encountered the people. In verse 18: The Epicureans were known for disbelief in religious traditions, and the Stoics' sought to protect good order and civil religion. No philosopher wanted to be called a babbler, and proclaiming foreign divinities was like the charge on which Socrates was executed. In verse 19: The Areopagus was the site of Athenian trials. In verse 20: Luke again introduces an apostolic speech with the question of what it means (2.12). In verses 22-23: Paul appears to build a case against the philosophers, first by criticizing those who were extremely religious (superstitious) and second by telling them they worship the unknown God in ignorance (17.30). In verses 24-25: Greek wisdom also should speak of the creator God as not needing anything from mortals (14.15). The critique of the shrines was a favorite Jewish prophetic theme (7.48-50). In verses 25-26: These verses read a commentary on Gen 1.24, 27-28. In verse 27: Greek philosophy was well acquainted with the search for God, even to trying to apprehend or touch God with the mind. In verse 28: This unusual citation of the Greek poet Aratus imitates the way the scriptures of israel are cited regularly. Inverse 29; See v. 16. In verse 30: Ignorance is no longer an excuse when the truth is known (3.17). Repentance means the deep change of mind or heart, which the philosophers often called "conversion." In verses 31-32: The fixed day is the last judgment (Lk 10.12; 12.46; 17.24, 30; Acts 2.20). The phrase a man whom he has appointed recalls the "human being" or "son of man" in Dan 7 .13 to whom judgment is given by God (7.56). In Acts,the resurrection is the vindication of Jesus, demonstrating his role as judge in the end of time, but it also prompts derision from the Greeks (24.2-21). Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 9th

 Read Acts 17.1-15. In 17.1-15: Conflicts in Thessalonica and Beroea. In verses 1-2: As was his custom like Jesus (Lk 4.16), Paul's mission again begins with the Jews, in a synagogue, on a sabbath (16.13; 17.17). In verse 3: The scriptural interpretations again focus on the necessity of the suffering Messiah and that Jesus is the Messiah (2.32-36; 3.18-20; 4.26-7). In verse 5: Jealousy was also identified as the motive for earlier efforts by Jews to stir up opposition to the apostles (5.17; 13.45), which is probably an echo of Deut 32.21 where God makes Israel jealous (see Rom 10.19). Jason's house is identified  as a house of prayer or a "house church" (see Lydia in 16.15). In verse 6: Turning the world upside down meant rebellion against the Roman order ( (11.28; 21.38; 24.5). In verse 7: Calling Jesus "the messiah" sounded like he was being acclaimed a king which either meant a pretender to the rule of  the emperor at least the crowing of a ruler without Roman authorization, grounds enough for an execution (Lk 23.2-3, 35-37). In verse 9: Unlike the Philippi, the officials use the legal means of bail and Paul and Silas depart without a confrontation (16.36-30). In verse 10: Beroea is about 60 miles soul of Thessalonica.  In verses 11-12: Their scripture study every day is commended as a questing for the truth in contrast to the rabble in Thessalonica. The greek women and men appear to be in the synagogue too. Comments or Questions..

Reading for June 8th

 Read Acts  16.25-40. In verse 25: Praying and singing invoke divine assistance in critical times (Lk 3.21; 6.12; 9.18, 28-29; 10.21-22; 11.1-8; 22.32, 41-16; 23, 46; Acts 1.14; 2.42, 47; 4.23-31; 6.4; 7.59-60. In 9.11; 10.2,9; 12.12; 13.2-3). In verses 26-27: Compare Peter's miraculous escapes in 5.19-20 and 12.6-10, leading to the execution of the guards in 12.19. In verse 30: Unlike Cornelius, this gentile convert seems to have no previous knowledge of Israel's faith, but like the Jews in Jerusalem asks, "What must I do to be saved?" (2.37). In verse 31: Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only requirement for salvation and baptism of the household (10.44-48: 11.17-18; 15.8-9). In verses 37-38: Such secret dealings reveal their shameful  character, even by Roman law (1 Thess 2.2), and Roman citizens had higher standards of protection against capricious actions. In verse 40: The story ends again in Lydia's home (vv. 14-15). Comments or Questions..