Loading summary
Transcript6 lines
- [00:01]
Dr. Manny Arango
Hey, Bible nerds.
- [00:02]
Co-host or Announcer
This is Dr. Manny Arango and I'm your host for the Bible department podcast powered by Arma. This podcast follows a Bible reading plan we created to help you read the entire Bible in a year. You can head to the show notes or thebibledepartment.com to download our reading plan and join the journey. We are in Acts, chapters 24, 28 today. This is the end of the book of Acts. All right. Although we've come to the end of the road and actually we're going to talk about the abrupt ending of Acts, so make sure that you listen to the whole episode today because the abrupt ending of Acts is kind of like it's. It's a big deal. If you haven't done today's reading, this is a great place to pause, stop, halt, hold up, go do the reading. Okay. It's chapters 24, 25, 26, 27 and 28. It's five chapters of reading today. But really, like, it's. It's really cohesive. We put these five chapters together because thematically, like, there's only one thing that's really happening. Okay. Paul's on trial. Okay. He's being held in Caesarea. I've actually been to Caesarea in. In Israel. Beautiful. It's absolutely beautiful. And hopefully one day I'll take an armor trip, like to Israel. I think that'd be dope. It says this, five days later, the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer. Okay? So they've got a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brough with them charged against Paul before the governor. And the governor's name is Felix. So just want you to think about all those people. You got the high priest and you got a governor, and that's the same collaboration or the same combination that we have in the arrest in the trial of Jesus. And Luke is really trying to paint Paul as a follower of Jesus, like mirroring their stories together. Verse 5. I just think this description of Paul is amazing. We have found this man to be a troublemaker, stirring up riots among the Jews all over the world. He is a ringleader of the Nazarene sect. Remember, Jesus is from Nazareth, okay? So he's known as the Nazarene. The same thing can be found with Mary Magdalene's name. She's from Magdala, so she's Mary from the Magdalene. Okay, Magdalene's not like her last name. She's from Magdala. In the same way that Jesus, the Nazarene Nazarene is not his last name. He's just from Nazareth. Okay, so ringleader of the Nazarene sect. One of the things that you'll notice as you're reading through the Book of Acts is that the word Christian is just not used a lot, but sect. The way these words are used a ton. Verse 17 of this opening chapter is a big, big deal, okay? It says, after an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings. This gift, the poor. This is found in like a ton of books. Like, this is referenced a lot. Corinthians. Paul's like taking up this offering. This a really, really, really big deal. And I deal with this in our course on Luke. Acts like in detail because this, this offering to the poor that Paul is collecting from Gentiles to bless Jewish believers with is a massive, massive deal. Can't get into it here, but it's a great de. It's a great, It's a big deal. And I wanted to like, just kind of make you aware of that detail. The Roman governor, like, wants a bribe, his wife is Jewish, and he leaves Paul in prison for two years. So that's how chapter 24 ends. It's like Paul's just in prison and he's left there for two years, okay? It's crazy how like two years of your life can just get summarized in one verse, one short verse, verse 27 of chapter 24, when two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcious Festus. So also remember, like Pontius Pilate, like, this is another. This is a governor, okay? So the same role, okay, that Pontius Pilate had, remember, in the crucifixion of Jesus, we have Ananias, the chief priest, Herod and Pontius Pilate, all like a triumphant of legal layers, layers in the legal system. And we get all of those same layers in the legal system here in Paul's trial. So chapter 25 starts and the new governor, okay, Festus is in Jerusalem and the chief priests want to talk to him. And now Herod Agrippa is involved. They want to try him in Jerusalem. Festus does not agree to try him in Jerusalem, but he agrees that, hey, if you guys come to Caesarea, we can reopen this case. And we get these famous, this famous line in verse 11, Paul realizes that the whole situation is unfair and if he gets back, taken back to Jerusalem, that he's going to get killed by the Jewish leaders. And so verse 11, Paul, who's a Roman citizen, has the Right to appeal to Caesar. And so what we get in verse 11 is these words, I appeal to Caesar said how I am guilty of doing anything deserving death. I do not refuse to die. But if the charges brought against me by these Jews are not true, no one has the right to hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar. So a lot of people think that like historically like Nero and Nero, who's the Caesar at the time, and Paul could have had a face to face interaction that's pretty interesting if they did. No way to prove it, no way to disprove it. But he is a Roman citizen. And not all Jews are Roman citizens. It's actually really rare that this Jew named Saul, but Latin name is Paul would be a Roman citizen. Of course I dive into those details like in, in course content, but just know like it's Paul is really taking advantage of his Roman citizenship by appealing directly to Caesar. King Agrippa comes into town. So this is another Herod. And obviously Herod is very aware with Jewish customs. And Herod Festus issue is that he doesn't know what to like send him to Caesar. Like what sentence? Okay, this, this is an interesting verse. In verse 19 it says this instead, they had some points of dispute with him about their own religion. So Festus sees Paul and the Jews as talking about the same religion. Okay, because Christianity has not seen his own religion yet. And about a dead man named Jesus who Paul claimed was alive. That's great. Just like, yep, they were talking about some Jewish stuff and another Jewish dude named Jesus who was, who's dead. I got records that we killed that guy, but Paul says he's alive. Anyway, Agrippa now wants to like hear Paul's case. And so we get into chapter 26. Another similarity, okay, between Jesus's arrest and trial and Paul's arrest and trial is that no one can prove that he did anything wrong. Like they're just kind of like baseless charges, just false accusations. And Luke goes through painful detail to tell us over and over and over again that none of the governors, whether it's Felix or Festus or Agrippa or anybody, no one from any legal community can actually find Paul at fault for anything. And so we get into chapter 26 and all of chapter 26, like the whole thing is Paul's defense to King Agrippa. Okay, this, this really, really funny moment. I mean it is the entire chapter. Chapter 26, verse 30. The king rose and with him the governor. So this is Herod and Festus and his wife Bernice. And those sitting with him. After they left the room, they began saying to one another, this man is not doing anything that deserves death or imprisonment. So again, Luke is telling us over and over and over again the same way Jesus was innocent. Paul is innocent. This is a funny moment in verse 24. At this point, Festus interrupted Paul's defense. You are out of your mind, Paul, he shouted. Your learning is driving you insane. This is a funny sentence. All of 26 is just Paul, just like talking to King Agrippa about like, why he's innocent. And they both agree, Agrippa and Festus, that Paul actually is not guilty. We get into chapter 27 and now since he's appealed to Caesar, they have to send him to Rome. Okay, so the, the structure of the book of Acts. The thesis statement of acts is Acts 1:8, that they will preach in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.
- [08:41]
Dr. Manny Arango
What if I told you that what you're learning in this video was just the tip of the iceberg? The Bible department is actually powered by arma. What is arma? I'm so glad you asked. ARMA is an online subscription based platform that we design to help people, everyday people, learn the Bible for themselves. We started ARMA so that anybody, anywhere, can have access to trustworthy and entertaining Bible and theology content. In addition to this podcast, we have over 60 courses on individual books of the Bible, on theology topics, and on some hot topics like homosexuality, tithing and women in ministry. But really, ARMA is a community. A community of people that I've gotten to know. A community where thousands of people are currently finding family, asking questions and nerding out on the Bible together. If you want a community to read the Bible with you this year, or if you want to dive into some deeper theological content, or if you want more exclusive access to me and the entire armor team, how about you go to thebibledepartment.com I'll be sure to post.
- [09:54]
Co-host or Announcer
The link in the description of this video.
- [09:57]
Dr. Manny Arango
Let's make this your year to become a Bible.
- [10:03]
Co-host or Announcer
So by the time we get on this ship to like, you know, to send Paul out to Rome, we are fulfilling the, the gospel, well, the thesis of the whole book. We're bringing the Gospel all the way to the ends of the earth. So chapter 27 starts with when it was decided that we will sail for Italy. Paul and some other prisoners were handed over to a centurion named Julius who belonged to the imperial regiment. We boarded a ship. So we. That means Luke is Involved, we boarded a ship and we put out to sea. All right, chapter 27, verse 9 and 11 is actually the parts that are really important as they're sailing. Paul is like, hey, guys, this is a bad idea. Much time had been lost. Sailing had already become dangerous because by now it was the day after atonement. So Paul warned them, men, I can see that our voyage is going to be disastrous and bring great loss to ship and cargo. But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, follow the advice of the pilot and the owner of the ship. So what happens? They encounter a massive storm. They get shipwrecked. They get shipwrecked. And I mean literally on boards, like holding boards of the ship. They get to the island of Malta, Okay? This happens right at the beginning of verse 28. Now, chapter 27 is, I mean, fascinating reading. I mean, if you want like a detailed description of a shipwreck, go read it. I mean, you can also see how much of a historian Luke is. I mean, he's telling us, I think it's like 200, 276 people on board. Like, Luke is keeping track of details like that. He's a doctor, he's a historian, he is a detail oriented individual. That's in verse 37, by the way. There's 276 of us on board. It says this in verse 42 as we end chapter 27. Getting to chapter 28. The soldiers planned to kill the prisoners to prevent any of them from swimming away and escaping. But the centurion wanted to spare Paul's life and kept them from carrying out their plan. He ordered those who could swim to jump overboard first and get to land. The rest were to get there on planks or on other pieces of the ship. In this way, everyone reached land safely. The last chapter of acts. Now chapter 28, they get to Malta. A viper, okay, jumps out of some, some, some brushwood, okay, bites Paul. The islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand. They said to one another, this man must be a murderer. For though he escaped from the sea, the goddess named justice has not allowed him to live. Okay? Paul shakes the snake free, has no effects. And now the same people who thought he was a murderer are now assuming he must be a God. Okay? So now they think he's a God. The chief official from the island has a sick dad. Paul lays hands on the man. He gets healed. And then Paul starts praying for everybody who's sick on the island. Everybody starts to get healed. They finally, they have to stay there for three Months, they find a ship, new ship, and they finally get to Rome. Okay, so verse 14, chapter 28. And so we came to Rome. They're finally at Rome. Who does Paul go to see first? By the way, in verse 16, it says, when we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with a soldier to guard him. So he's not in your stereotypical prison situation. He's on more like house arrest. He goes and assembles all the Jewish leaders in Rome. So. So it's the Jews in Jerusalem who have tried to kill Paul, who have handed him over to the authorities. And I want you to see, like, the forgiveness and the grace that Paul has. He gets all these Jewish leaders together. And he says, my brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the custom of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans. They examined me and wanted to release me. But because I was not guilty of any crime deserving death, the Jews objected. So I was compelled to make an appeal to Caesar. He's talking to Jews. By the way, I certainly did not intend to bring any charge against my own people. For this reason, I have asked to see you and talk with you. It is because of the hope of Israel that I am bound with this chain. I want us to, like, understand. Paul still sees himself as Jewish. Like, in his own identity. He says, the Jewish people are my people. I've actually battled with this a lot. Like, as a Christian, there are some environments where I've heard a gospel of racial reconciliation that has kind of made it seem like I shouldn't see myself as black. Like, black people shouldn't be my people, that only Christians are my people. But what we have here, actually, like in the Book of Acts, is that Paul is able to balance both. Now, I will say this. My Christian identity is my first and foremost identity. But I think that sometimes we make it seem like human beings only have one identity. And that's just not true. Actually, there's a hierarchy of identities. And the issue is not only having one identity, it's actually having the first identity or the preeminent identity in the right place. So I'm a Christian first, but when I see black people, regardless of whether or not they're Christian, they're my people. And I think that's okay, because for Paul, he's like, it's because of the hope of Israel that I'm bound with this chain. Like, I've got hope that, like, my people, like Jewish people, like people who are ethnically Jewish, are going to be saved. Anyway, that was a little like, aside, but I think it's good. The Jews are like, hey, we heard nothing about this. And verse 28 says this. Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles. Since I'm coming to you Jews and I, it's the hope of Israel, that is the reason I'm preaching. And Jews decided to arrest me in Jerusalem. And like, the whole reason I'm here is because Jews are persecuting me now. Therefore, I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles and they will listen. So for all the Gentiles here, like, I'm a Gentile, you're a Gentile. I mean, you could be Jewish, but if you're watching this, the chances are the majority of Christians are Gentiles that God is actually using us. Using us Gentiles. The Bible says, especially in Romans, to cause the Jewish people who God has a covenant with to be jealous, to be envious, and to go, man, like, we don't want to miss out on, like, what God is doing with them. I want you to remember Luke, the Gospel writer, the same author who like, pens the Book of Acts. And in Luke's Gospel there's this parable of the banquet. And God goes out and invites all these people to the banquet and they don't come. And so therefore the master of the banquet goes out and invites other people who weren't on the original guest list. But because the original people didn't show up, then they are like, their spots are given to other people. And it's designed to cause the original invitees of the banquet to go, man, I'm really missing out on something. And so Romans is going to get into this in way more detail that says that the inviting of the Gentiles into the kingdom of God is actually there to provoke Israel to envy, to jealousy, to go, you know what? Why are they experiencing the benefits of the covenant that we can be accessing if we were to believe in the Messiah, Jesus? And then verse 30, for two whole years, Paul stayed there in his own rented house. So like now we've got four years of Paul's life gone by. For two years, Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the Gospel of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. And that's it. That's the end of the entire Book of Acts. So why does the Book of Acts end so abruptly. This is our timeless truth for the day. The Book of Acts ends abruptly because we are carrying out the end of the Book of Acts. The reason the Book of Acts ends with no real resolution and no real conclusion and it just kind of leaves on a cliffhanger is because the Book of Acts is still being written. You and I are writing the Book of Acts. Every single believer who's filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, who is a witness to the ends of the earth, is continuing to write the pages of the Book of Acts. And that's our timeless truth for the day that the Spirit filled believer who wants to be a witness for the Holy Spirit of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is actually a vessel to be used for God's purposes. And you and I, we are invited to complete the pages of the Book of Acts. And that's why it ends so abruptly. I'll see you right here tomorrow as we dive into the Book of Galatians. I'm super excited. Galatians is six chapters. We'll spend two days on the Book of Galatians. And I'm so proud of you for making this the year that you become biblically literate so that you can hear God for yourself and act wisely in the world that we live in. Love you, Peace. Thank you so much for joining me on the Bible Department podcast. If this episode was helpful, it would mean the world to me if you'd give us a follow rate and review the show. And don't forget to share. You can learn more about the show@thebibledepartment.com and find us on Instagram. Hebible Department if you want to dive deeper into the Bible, you can get free access to our library of courses@thebibledepartment.com we'll see you back here tomorrow.