Looking for Paul

[JLG]

11) Looking for Paul

Acts 19

In Ephesus he meets some Christians who were baptized only in John’s baptism and have not received holy spirit and they don’t know anything about it. So they are baptized in the name of Jesus. Then Paul lays his hands on them and they receive holy spirit and they begin speaking in foreign languages and prophesying. And Paul teaches in the synagogue for three months and because of the opposition of some Jews, he finally gives talks daily in the school auditorium of Tyrannus. Thus for two years, all those who live in the province of Asia hear the word of Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. And God keeps performing extraordinary powerful works through the hands of Paul. Thus even cloths and aprons touched by Paul could cure people. So many become believers but it goes against those who make profit through false gods. And they fill threatened by the Christians. Paul wants to defend himself in front of the people but the disciples refuse saying it is too dangerous. Finally the situation calms down.

- Paul ‘s teaching is too efficient and too many people become Christians!

- It goes against the interest of many both Jews and Greeks!

- Some Christians who had only received John’s baptism are finally baptized in the name of Jesus!

- After that Paul lays his hands on them!

- After that they receive holy spirit!

- And they start speaking in foreign languages and prophesying!

- So once again everything is well organized!

- And Paul has to lay his hands on the Christians so they can finally receive holy spirit!

- Something not to forget because it tells a lot about the importance of Paul for God and Jesus!

 

[JLG]

12) Looking for Paul

Acts 20

Then Paul travels to Greece. As usual the Jews try to kill him. During one of his long talk at night, Eutychus falls asleep and falls down from the third story and dies. But Paul resurrects him. Then Paul is in a hurry because he wants to arrive in Jerusalem on time for the festival of Pentecost. He is telling the brothers that he knows he won’t see them again because the holy spirit keeps telling him that imprisonment and tribulations are waiting for him. He tells the elders to pay attention to shepherd the congregation of God. He warns them that after him wolves will enter in among them and will not treat the flock with tenderness and they will corrupt God’s word. Thus Paul gives them his last will.

- Paul knows what’s going to happen to him!

- And he tells the disciples about it!

- And he knows what will happen after his death!

- So he tells them to be careful!

- In fact, there is nothing new!

- It was so through all the events told in the Bible!

- God’s word has always been perverted and it will be so till the end!

- The devil is working hard!

- And many men help him!

- But Paul was definitely by God’s side!

 

[JLG]

John is very clear. He wrote the Book of Revelation from Patmos. And he wrote in that Book to seven churches, just as Paul had written to seven churches.



- My answer :



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Patmos



John of Patmos (also called John the Revelator, John the Divine, John the Theologian) is the name traditionally given to the author of the Book of Revelation. The text of Revelation states that John was on Patmos, a Greek island where, according to most biblical historians, he was exiled as a result of anti-Christian persecution under the Roman emperor Domitian.



https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/apocalypse/revelation/white.html



The Book of Revelation was written sometime around 96 CE in Asia Minor. The author was probably a Christian from Ephesus known as "John the Elder." According to the Book, this John was on the island of Patmos, not far from the coast of Asia Minor, "because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus" (Rev. 1.10). This has traditionally been taken to mean that he had been exiled there as a martyr for his Christian faith. Some scholars, however, have suggested that it might have been a regular stop on a preaching circuit.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Apostle



John the Apostle[10] (Ancient Greek: Ἰωάννης; Latin: Ioannes[11] c. 6 AD – c. 100 AD; Ge'ez: ዮሐንስ or Saint John the Beloved was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Generally listed as the youngest apostle, he was the son of Zebedee and Salome. His brother James was another of the Twelve Apostles. The Church Fathers identify him as John the Evangelist, John of Patmos, John the Elder, and the Beloved Disciple, and testify that he outlived the remaining apostles and was the only one to die of natural causes, although modern scholars are divided on the veracity of these claims.



- Let’s say John wrote his last will before dying!



- Now let’s have a look at Paul!



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_the_Apostle





Paul[a] (previously called Saul of Tarsus;https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_the_Apostle#cite_note-8 c. 5 – c. 64/65 AD), commonly known as Paul the Apostle[7] and Saint Paul,[8] was a Christian apostle who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world.[9] Generally regarded as one of the most important figures of the Apostolic Age,[8][10] he founded several Christian communities in Asia Minor and Europe from the mid-40s to the mid-50s AD.



- Romans:

A.D. 57

When Was Romans Written? The Apostle Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans before the end of his third missionary journey (around A.D. 57–59; approximately twenty-five years after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ).

The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans​

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org › manual › the-epistle...



- Corinthians:



The First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians, probably written about 53–54 ce at Ephesus, Asia Minor, deals with problems that arose in the early years after Paul's initial missionary visit (c. 50–51) to Corinth and his establishment there of a Christian community.

Letters of Paul to the Corinthians - Encyclopedia Britannica​

https://www.britannica.com › ... › Scriptures



- Galatians:



Paul likely wrote his Epistle to the Galatians while traveling through Macedonia during his third missionary journey in about A.D. 55–57 (see Bible Dictionary, “Pauline Epistles”).

Introduction to the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians​

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org › study › manual › in..



- Ephesians:



AD 60–61

Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians sometime in AD 60–61, around the same time he wrote Colossians and Philemon, as he sent all three letters by the hand of Tychicus, accompanied by Onesimus (Ephesians 6:21; Colossians 4:7–9; Philemon 1:10–12).

Book of Ephesians Overview - Insight for Living Ministries​

https://insight.org › resources › bible › the-pauline-epistles



- Philippians:



about 62 ce

Paul the Apostle to the Philippians, abbreviation Philippians, eleventh book of the New Testament, written by St. Paul the Apostle to the Christian congregation he had established in Philippi. It was penned while he was in prison, probably at Rome or Ephesus, about 62 ce.

Letter of Paul to the Philippians | Summary & Facts | Britannica​

https://www.britannica.com › ... › Scriptures

 

[JLG]

- Colossians:



When and where was it written? Paul wrote this epistle during his first imprisonment in Rome, around A.D. 60–62 (see Guide to the Scriptures, “Pauline Epistles,” scriptures.lds.org). Paul probably wrote the Epistle to the Colossians around the same time he wrote Philippians, Ephesians, and Philemon.

Introduction to the Epistle of Paul to the Colossians​

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org › study › manual › in.



- Thessalonians:



When and where was it written? “Paul wrote the epistles to the Thessalonians from Corinth during his second missionary journey,” around A.D. 50–51 (Guide to the Scriptures, “Pauline Epistles,” scriptures.lds.org).

Introduction to the First Epistle of Paul to the Thessalonians​

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org › study › manual › in...



- Timothy:



When and Where Was It Written? Paul's First Epistle to Timothy was likely written sometime between A.D. 64 and 65, possibly while Paul was in Macedonia (see Guide to the Scriptures, “Pauline Epistles,” scriptures.lds.org; 1 Timothy 1:3).

Introduction to 1 Timothy​

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org › study › manual › in..





- Titus:



Paul wrote his letter to Titus from Nicopolis in AD 63, after the apostle's release from his first Roman imprisonment. Upon leaving Timothy in Ephesus to minister there, Paul accompanied Titus to the island of Crete, where he intended Titus to lead and organize the island's churches in their early years of existence.

Book of Titus Overview - Insight for Living Ministries​

https://insight.org › resources › bible › the-pauline-epistles



- Philemon:



When and where was it written? The Epistle to Philemon was prepared by Paul during the Apostle's first imprisonment in Rome, around A.D. 60–62 (see Philemon 1:1, 9; Guide to the Scriptures, “Pauline Epistles,” scriptures.lds.org).

Introduction to the Epistle of Paul to Philemon​

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org › study › manual › in.



- Hebrews:



The letter was composed sometime during the latter half of the 1st century and is the 19th book of the New Testament canon. To judge from its contents, the letter was addressed to a Christian community whose faith was faltering because of strong Jewish influences.

Letter to the Hebrews | Summary, Authorship, & Facts​

https://www.britannica.com › ... › Scriptures



The Epistle to the Hebrews of the Christian Bible is one of the New Testament books whose canonicity was disputed. Traditionally, Paul the Apostle was thought to be the author. However, since the third century this has been questioned, and the consensus among most modern scholars is that the author is unknown.

Authorship of the Epistle to the Hebrews - Wikipedia​

https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Authorship_of_the_Ep

 

[JLG]

Well, you certainly don't have to convince me to follow Paul. (I Cor. 11:1. I've got 10 Books of his memorized... And studied his journeys extensively... Phil. 4:9. It changed my whole life 43 years ago...

- My answer :

- I don't want to convince you of anything!

- It's only to see the difference!

- Jesus chose them for different objectives!

- What is striking is that it is like two heads!

- Paul organized his activity by himself!

- Of course, he went to Jerusalem when the discussion about circumcision arose!

- But he created groups and visited them and encouraged them by sending letters!

- Really a good job indeed!

 

[JLG]

13) Looking for Paul

Acts 21

In Tyre, the disciples tell Paul not to go to Jerusalem but he has to go. In Caesarea, a prophet named Agabus says that Paul will be tied and given to the people of the nations. So once again the disciples beg Paul not to go but he must go there. Rumors have spread among the Jews about Paul so he has to explain himself in front of the Jews. But when Paul is in the temple, Jews from Asia seize him and they try to kill him but the commander of the army stops them and takes Paul into custody. And Paul asks the commander to speak to the crowd.

- Paul keeps teaching God’s word whatever happens!

- And many things happened to him!

- On many occasions, the Jews tried to kill him!

- And he was beaten and stoned!

- But he kept speaking boldly about God’s word and about Jesus!

- And he was decided to obey God on any occasion till his death, always speaking boldly before authorities or crowds!

 

[JLG]

14) Looking for Paul

Acts 22

So Paul speaks to the Jews telling about his history and about Jesus. But the Jews start to shout so the commander takes him into the soldiers’ quarters and interrogate him under scourging to know exactly what’s on. Then Paul asks the army officer if it is lawful to scourge a Roman who has not been condemned. So the army officer goes and asks the commander who is afraid because Paul is a Roman by birth. So the next day he has Paul stand among the chief priests and the Sanhedrin.

- At first, Paul can speak!

- After some time, the Jews do everything to prevent him to speak!

- Then he is scourged!

- Then the commander wants to know exactly what’s on so he assembles Paul and the high priests and the Sanhedrin!

- Paul is always ready to defend himself and his faith before anyone!

- The Jews do their best to prevent him and want to kill him!

- As they have no real arguments against Paul, they try to make noise to stop him!

- And if it was possible, they would kill him!

- That’s what we call savages and their father is the devil!

- Paul is not afraid of dying!

- He has filled his mission for God!

 

[JLG]

15) Looking for Paul

Acts 23

- Paul speaks in a way to divide the Pharisees and the Saduceans!

- Fearing for Paul’s security, the commander has Paul brought to the soldiers’ quarters!

- At night Paul has a vision in which the Lord tells him that he will go to Rome!

- The Jews want to kill Paul so they ask the commander to bring Paul before the Sanhedrin!

- Paul is being told of the conspiracy!

- Then the commander is informed of the conspiracy!

- So he sends Paul with many soldiers to Felix the governor!

- Then Felix wants to listen to Paul and his accusers!

- Paul keeps speaking boldly!

- And the Jews keep trying to kill him!

- But they will never succeed because Paul’s mission is not finished!

- And he must go to Rome!

 

[JLG]

16) Looking for Paul

Acts 24

So Felix listens to the accusers and Paul. And Felix decides to wait for the commander to come to take a decision. Paul is kept under arrest but given some freedom. Later he asks Paul to speak about the Christ in front of him and his wife who is Jewish. So Paul has various occasions to speak to Felix who expects Paul to give him money for his freedom. But after two years Felix is replaced by Porcius Festus.

- As usual we are told about corruption: corruption about the Romans and about the Jews!

- And Paul keeps speaking boldly about God’s word and about Jesus!

- Time changes but corruption stays!

- And faithfulness too but not for the majority!

- Faithfulness is a rare jewel or a precious stone or gold!

 

[JLG]

17) Looking for Paul

Acts 25

- So once again the Jews are planning an ambush against Paul!

- But he refuses and he wants to hear about Paul and his accusers!

- Finally Paul appeals to Caesar!

- Thus the governor decides to send him to Caesar!

- Then king Agrippa visits the governor and he wants to listen to Paul!

- But the governor doesn’t know what to say in his letter to Caesar because he has nothing against Paul!

- So the history is repeating again and again and Paul keeps defending himself before whoever listens to him!

 

[JLG]

18) Looking for Paul

Acts 26

- Thus Paul speaks in front of Agrippa!

- And once again those who listen to him find nothing against him!

- So he could have been released!

- But he appealed to Caesar!

- Thus he will go to Caesar!

-What a patience from Paul!

- All the time he has to repeat the same again and again!

- And the Jews are never tired of trying to kill him and accuse him!

- What a strong will from Paul!

 

[JLG]

19) Looking for Paul

Acts 27

During the trip to Rome, Paul warns the army officer that the ship and many lives will be lost if they keep traveling without waiting. But the army officer doesn’t listen to Paul and the ship and people are lost. There is a violent storm and people lose hope to save their lives. But Paul has a vision in which an angel tells him that everybody will be safe because of Paul but they must cast ashore on some island. Some sailors try to escape but Paul tells the army officer that if everybody doesn’t stay on board nobody will be saved. So the army officer prevent the sailors to escape. Finally Paul tells the men to eat to get strength. And they beach the ship. And the army officer prevents the soldiers to kill the prisoners because he wants to bring Paul safely through. Finally all are brought safely to land.

- Really interesting because Paul tells the men exactly what to do to survive!

- At first the army officer doesn’t listen to Paul!

- But finally, seeing how things occur, he follows exactly what Paul says!

- Even if he was wrong at first, then he made the right choice!

- On the contrary, men usually prefers man’s tradition to God’s word!

- They usually make the wrong choice like the Israelites!

- So then it is normal for them to pay the price!

- Paul was wrong and when he was told by Jesus, he changed his mind and his way of doing things!

- He wasn’t told twice!

- With humanity, they don’t care!

- The more they pay, the more they keep in the same direction!

- How intelligent they are!

 

[JLG]

20) Looking for Paul

Acts 28

- In Malta, Paul cures many people!

- So they receive many gifts!

- Finally Paul arrives in Rome and he is permitted to stay by himself with the soldier guarding him!

- Paul speaks before the principal men of the Jews!

- They haven’t received any letters against him!

- So they think it proper to hear from Paul about his beliefs!

- So they arrange a day and many people come to listen to Paul!

- Some begin to believe what Paul says!

- And Paul says that God’s salvation has been sent out to the nations!

- And till his death, he will keep speaking about God’s word and about Jesus!

- Nobody will be able to stop him!

- Definitely a chosen vessel and a precious and excellent one!

 

[JLG]

1) Looking for Paul

Acts 8

- We see Saul who fights against Jesus’ disciples!

- He puts them into prison (men and women)!

Acts 9

- He goes to Damascus where he wants to do the same!

- Going to Damascus, he sees a light from heaven flashes around him!

- He also hears Jesus’ voice asking him why he is persecuting him!

- Jesus’ voice also tells him to go to the city and he will be told what to do!

- He can’t see anymore!

- Ananias is sent to Saul to make him see again!

- Jesus tells Ananias that Saul is a chosen vessel to him to bear his name to the nations!

- So Ananias lays his hands on Saul who can see again!

- Saul stays few days with the disciples!

- And immediately in the synagogues he begins to preach about Jesus!

- And he keeps on acquiring more and more power and is confounding the Jews who live in Damascus, as he proves logically that this is the Christ!

- Thus he becomes too dangerous for the Jews who try to kill him!

- So the disciples help him to escape by night in a basket!

- Barnabas comes to his aid and leads him to the apostles in Jerusalem!

- There again he speaks boldly in the name of the Lord!

- There again the Jews try to kill him!

- So the disciples send him to Caesarea and Tarsus!

- Thus we can see that Jesus uses two strategies!

- When he was on earth, he chose people he could train personally!

- And he did it during all the time of his mission on earth!

- He had to teach them everything through a progressive teaching!

- But they didn’t understand till his death!

- Of course, after his death, they received holy spirit!

- But it took a lot of time!

- When Jesus left the earth, he could train another disciple!

- So he chose Saul or Paul who had a good knowledge as he was trained as a Pharisee!

- Unfortunately his knowledge couldn’t prevent him to choose the wrong way!

- So Jesus had to put him on the right way!

- And it is incredible to think that he didn’t lose time!

- He didn’t argue about man’s tradition he had received from the Pharisees!

- All at once he started to preach in the name of Jesus!

- But it was much more than that!

- It was a real race against the clock of corruption!

- And it started when Jesus died and it was worse after the death of all the apostles!

- They mixed man’s tradition with God’s word as Jesus told them!

- And when it became the religion of the Roman empire, then you had religion and politics business together in a disastrous melting-pot!

- And in fact, Paul did an incredible work among the nations!

 

[JLG]

2) Looking for Paul

Acts 12

- Barnabas and Saul did a good job in Jerusalem!

- After that they took John also called Mark with them!

Acts 13

- Wherever they go it is always the same simple story!

- First they do an incredible work teaching in the synagogues!

- Second many people become believers!

- Third The Jews become jealous and they try to kill them!

- Fourth they have to move to another city!

- In Cyprus, the proconsul became a believer!

- In Antioch in Pisidia, it was there that Paul decided to turn to the people of the nations because of the attitude of the Jews!

- At first, Barnabas was the leader but soon Paul took the lead!

 

[JLG]

3) Looking for Paul

Acts 14

- In Iconium they did a good job!

- Then because of the Jews, the city was divided in two parts!

- The Jews tried to treat them insolently and stone them!

- So they went to other cities!

- It is often the case today!

- There are people who do the same!

- They have no arguments but they do as if they knew everything whereas they don’t know anything!

- It is always interesting to exchange arguments!

- But sometimes people should go back to school or read more seriously the Bible!

- In fact, the more you read the bible, the more you get to know!

- And we also learn a lot by exchanging ideas!

- Because then we have to look for more information!

- In this chapter, the people even take Paul and Barnabas for gods!

- But then Jews coming from Antioch and Iconium persuaded the crowds and they stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, imagining that he was dead!

- After that, they went on their trip!

 

[JLG]

4) Looking for Paul

Acts 15

- Here something new happened!

- Some disciples who are Jews teach the disciples about the necessity of getting circumcised according to the custom of Moses!

- There we see the difference between such men and Paul!

- They want to mix man’s tradition!

- Thus there happened a dissension and disputing by Paul and Barnabas with these men!

- So Paul and Barnabas and some men of the others go to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders regarding this issue!

- Take note that for Paul it was clear that is no more circumcision for the disciples!

- And Peter explained that people from the nations became disciples and received holy spirit without being circumcised!

- That was the point, a logical one!

- And Peter asked them additionally: “So why are you now making a test of God by imposing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our forefathers nor we were capable of bearing?”

- And Barnabas and Paul related the events in connection with people of nations becoming disciples!

- What was the conclusion for the disciples: they should abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from what is strangled, and from blood.

- Then they sent people with Paul and Barnabas to tell the disciples to Antioch about the decision which was taken in relation with circumcision!

- In Antioch, Paul and Barnabas separated because Barnabas wanted to take John with them whereas Paul disagreed!

- Then Paul took Silas with him!

 

[JLG]

52) Looking for Paul

Acts 16

- Finally Paul decided to take Timothy with him, his mother was a believing Jewish woman and his father a Greek!

- He circumcised him because of the Jews in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek!

- And Paul used to go to teach in the synagogues!

- They would deliver the decrees decided by the apostles and the elders in Jerusalem!

- And the holy spirit told them the places they couldn’t go and the ones they could go especially into Macedonia!

- In Philippi, Paul cured a servant girl who was possessed by a demon of divination and thus bringing a lot of money to her masters!

- When she was cured, they couldn’t earn anymore money, they took Paul and Silas to the rulers of the city who put them into prison!

- An earthquake occurred and all the doors were instantly opened!

- The jailer wanted to kill himself thinking that all prisoners had escaped!

- But Paul prevented him to do it saying that nobody had escaped!

- Then the jailer and his household became believers and were baptized all at once!

- The next day they were released!

- There again, we see that Paul does everything correctly telling the decisions about circumcisions in all the cities he visited!

- All the time he would do an incredible work and many people became believers!

 

[JLG]

53) Looking for Paul

Acts 17

- In Thessalonica, we get the usual story with the Jews trying to kill Paul!

- So the disciples sent Paul and Silas to Beroea!

- Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they accepted the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore, many of them became believers, and so did quite a few of the reputable Greek women as well as some of the men.

- Everybody should do that!

- It should be the norm!

- Unfortunately it is not the case!

- And the Jews from Thessalonica came to get rid of Paul!

- Then Paul goes to Athens!

- He goes to the Areopagus to speak with the Greek!

- And some became believers!

 

[JLG]

54) Looking for Paul

Acts 18

- In Corinth, Paul worked as tentmaker!

- He would give a talk in the synagogue every sabbath and would persuade Jews and Greeks!

- When Silas and Timothy met him, Paul began to be intensely occupied with the word!

- But the Jews opposed him and spoke abusively, he turned to the people of the nations!

- And many Corinthians became believers and got baptized!

- There he spent a year and six months!

- The Jews brought him before the proconsul!

- Finally Paul sailed to Syria!

- He spent some time in Ephesus!

- Then in Caesarea and other places!

- Well, the usual routine!

- And a dangerous one with the Jews always trying to get rid of him!

- But Paul didn’t care, he had to work for God!