Encouragement and rebuke

I wrote this one five years ago.  Like a dog worrying a bone I like to gnaw on my binky from time to time. You are welcome.

Who Penned Hebrews?

My friend Louie and I had a conversation via the internet this past week, as we do from time to time..

The part of the discussion which is germane to this Sunday morning post was a statement I made to him that when I sought encouragement or believed I was undergoing chastening I turn to the twelfth chapter of the Book of Hebrews.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. (Emphases added.)

 What greater encouragement might we hope for than to look to the example of our Christ who laid down His very life for our sins!  The chapter continues

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

While I may endure chastening, I am a son of God!

End lesson.

Now Louie and I know that we both agree on the essentials of the Scriptures, but we also know that we disagree on a couple of points that are not critical to salvation.  To wit, and in this instance, Louie is a firm believer that Paul was the writer of The Hebrews.  I am just as firmly convinced that Paul did not write the book.

He wrote back to me, "I Love  Hebrews. Dave, I cannot  believe how these nut cases  cannot see that Paul is the writer.  That is if they read his other books,  Also He knew more about The Hebrew  law than any other  person that was in The Church of God that The Lord Jesus started. Blessings on you this weekend!"

To which I replied (remember, we each knew the position of the other before this conversation):   "Thank you for your (repeated) position on the authorship.   May the blessings of the Lord be yours, and may there be peace between you and

Your Fellow Nutcase in Christ. 

(Who can’t see how you can read the Letters and still believe Paul penned Hebrews. Oh, well.  We both believe God is the Author of His Word, the Author and Finisher of our faith.)"

Quickly, my case, in a nutshell, if you are interested.

In my opinion, Paul could not have written:

" How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;" (KJV  Heb 2:3)

for Paul was certainly one of “them that heard him.”  Acts 9 

"And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"

To me, this is the most compelling reason to believe Paul was not the writer.  There are others, e.g., the missing “salutation” which we see in Paul’s letters.

Romans 1:1  Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle

I Cor 1:1 Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ

Ii Cor 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God

Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ

Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

Colossians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ

I Thess 1:1  Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus

II Thess 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus

I Tim 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ

II Tim 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ

Titus 1:1  Paul, a servant of God

Philemon 1:1  Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ

Compare these with

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets

Yet Louie may have as good a chance of being right as I have.  But you have probably perceived that I doubt that is the case.

Paul in Rome

Our brief look at the account of the Acts of the Apostles as penned by Luke has brought us to the final few paragraphs in chapter twenty-eight.  Here we find that Paul has finally been transported from the site of the shipwreck on Malta to Rome where he continues to be held prisoner awaiting his hearing before Caesar.  Yet he is permitted to live in a private residence under the oversight of a Roman guard.

Shortly after his arrival in Rome Paul invites the members of the Jewish community in the city to confer with him in his home.  Many having heard of the religious sect Paul represents, likely as much through curiosity as anything else, show up to hear what Paul has to say.  It is worth noting that many of these Jews were no doubt devout followers of the Law and having heard of "Christianity" did not deem it to be a new religion, but labelled it a "sect" which is to say that though it may present new thought it did not deny the Law. The upshot of these meetings with Paul were much like a modern day presentation of the Gospel in that some accepted the teachings and became followers of Christ and many did not.

It is interesting to note that here ends Luke's account without reference or explanation as to what happened to Paul after the two-year detention in Rome.  And why, I asked myself, is that the case.  I think at least two factors should be considered. First, The Acts is not about Paul!  It is true that Paul is a principal character throughout the book, but the Acts is about Jesus Christ and the dissemination of the Gospel throughout the Gentile world.  Second, I believe that the end of Paul's detention probably was also the end of Luke's connection to Paul's life and Luke wrote only about events of which he had first-hand knowledge.  I could be wrong on the second point, but I think not on the first.

The pastoral epistles of Paul along with contemporary non-scriptural literature give us some information regarding Paul's ministries beyond his first captivity in Rome and perhaps his ultimate demise.  But that lies beyond the scope of this lesson and would require in-depth study to ferret out the desired information.

Point to ponder:  I stated above that the Book of Acts is about Jesus Christ and the spreading of the Gospel.  Is it not the case that the entire canon of Scripture from Genesis through the Prophets, the Gospels, the letters of Paul, and finally The Revelation is about Jesus Christ and the Good News of Salvation?

Paul on Malta

You have completed the reading assignment in Acts 27 and have experienced the thrill of riding out a storm, culminating in shipwreck.

All souls on board escaping safely from the ship, we read on into chapter 28 that the crew, the passengers, and the prisoners, of whom Paul was one, find themselves on the island of Malta.  The inhabitants, heathens, were kind to these people, built a fire to warm them and dry them out.  Paul, ever industrious, participated in the gathering of firewood to build up the fire, as it was a great crowd of wet and shivering people.

Now as Paul extended his load of fuel over the fire it seems the viper within his bundle of sticks was stirred into life, probably resented being tossed into the fire, latched onto Paul's hand.  The natives figured that one out real quickly as the snake was highly poisonous and few survived its venom.  "Aha! This man must be a murderer and the goddess of justice has decreed his death in the sea, but having escaped that, she now establishes that he is to die by serpent!"

But he shook the snake off, did not swell, and did not die.  Amazement!  Paul must be a god!  So they took him to their leader, one Publius by name, which boss man's father lay ill.  Paul laid hands on him, prayed over him, and he was healed.  So then all those on the island who were ill made their way to Paul, and they were likewise healed.

So after three months the travelers took passage on a ship to Rome.

Note a few things.

1)  God may use bad things to good ends.  (The shipwreck, the snakebite)
2)  Paul's prayer and laying on of hands resulted in healing of Publius's father.  Over the next three months many others who were ill were also healed.  It is not clear to me how much of this healing was miraculous and how much may have been the result of Dr. Luke's performance as a medical missionary.   God's healing power is often delivered through human hands.  In any event, it was in the will of God and no doubt led to dissemination of the Gospel of Jesus and the conversion of many.
3)  Surely God has a plan in seeing Paul to Rome.

Continue your reading in Acts 28.

On Stormy Seas #T

In chapter 27 of the Acts of the Apostles we read this account.  Paul and other prisoners were being transported to Rome on a ship from Alexandria.

The wind being unfavorable allowed for but little progress for many days.  Finally they came upon a place called The Fair Havens, near the city Lasea.

There they spent much time, to the point that sailing was dangerous, the season nearing winter.

Paul told those in charge, "Don't do it.  There will be loss of goods and the ship and perhaps our very lives."  They believed their own counsel more than they heeded Paul (I mean, he was a preacher, after all) so they set sail.  Encountering a soft South wind they supposed that they were in good shape; but then they encounter Euroclydon!  Euroclydon, or in today's parlance, Gregalia, is a severe and nasty nor'easter with which the Mediterranean is often afflicted in the wintertime. 

They struck sail, cast out the tackling to lighten ship and saw neither sun nor stars in many days.  All hope was lost.

Yet after while, Paul stood up and said, "I told you so!  You should have listened to me in the first place.  But now I am telling you, Cheer up!  There will be no loss of life, but only the ship.  How do I know?  An angel of the God whom I serve stood by me and told me to have no fear, for I must stand before Caesar, and none of us will perish!  But we will be cast upon a certain island.   And I believe my God!"

So beginning with the twenty-seventh verse, we are regaled with the exciting account of the shipwreck and the preservation of all 276 people on board.


Takeaway

1.  Not all fair havens are safe havens.
2.  We are to be cheerful, for God is faithful.
3.  Hope is the anchor of the soul.  (Matthew Henry)

Athens 2.0

Paul, being in Athens, preached Jesus and the resurrection in the marketplace and to whomever would hear him.  Then certain philosophers, referring to him among themselves as a babbler, took him to Areopagus and quizzed him concerning the strange doctrine of which he spoke.

Then Paul addressed the Athenians in what we now refer to as his Sermon on Mars Hill.

But between the first paragraph above and the short second one there is a parenthetical, which we quote here.

(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.)  Acts 17:21 KJV

And that insert is the text for this morning.

Athenian society of the first century was much focused on knowledge, on telling and hearing of new things.  Philosophers of various sorts held forth in the agorae and had done so for several hundred years, dating back to Socrates in the fifth century BCE. The parenthetical sums it up:  they spent their time in nothing else.

Almost two thousand years from the time of Paul's visit to Athens we find ourselves living in a society in which the hearing and telling of new things overwhelms our ability to 1) keep up with it all, and 2) live a productive life characterized by internal peace.

Reflect on that.

Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  John 14:27  KJV

Interpretation of Scripture

I was writing a post for Sunday morning.  I was working from the premise that Paul in one of his epistles was overextending himself in interpretation of Old Testament scripture.  I had completed about  half the article when the Lord spoke to my heart, Shut up; you are wrong.

    I hit the delete button and proceeded to extend my study by reading further in the Word.  I found plenty of support for Paul's premise and clearly have to admit I was wrong.  So today's admonition is the directive Paul gave to Timothy:  "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."  --2 Timothy 2:15

In the sixteenth chapter of The Acts of the Apostles we read that the Lord opened the heart of a woman named Lydia such that "she attended to the teachings of Paul."  Seems my heart has been likewise opened.

God is faithful







 Image:  Sovereign Grace Baptist Church, Northport, Alabama

Who Penned Hebrews?

My friend Louie and I had a conversation via the internet this past week, as we do from time to time..

The part of the discussion which is germane to this Sunday morning post was a statement I made to him that when I sought encouragement or believed I was undergoing chastening I turn to the twelfth chapter of the Book of Hebrews.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin. (Emphases added.)

 What greater encouragement might we hope for than to look to the example of our Christ who laid down His very life for our sins!  The chapter continues

And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

While I may endure chastening, I am a son of God!

End lesson.

Now Louie and I know that we both agree on the essentials of the Scriptures, but we also know that we disagree on a couple of points that are not critical to salvation.  To wit, and in this instance, Louie is a firm believer that Paul was the writer of The Hebrews.  I am just as firmly convinced that Paul did not write the book.

He wrote back to me, "I Love  Hebrews. Dave, I cannot  believe how these nut cases  cannot see that Paul is the writer.  That is if they read his other books,  Also He knew more about The Hebrew  law than any other  person that was in The Church of God that The Lord Jesus started. Blessings on you this weekend!"

To which I replied (remember, we each knew the position of the other before this conversation):   "Thank you for your (repeated) position on the authorship.   May the blessings of the Lord be yours, and may there be peace between you and

Your Fellow Nutcase in Christ. 

(Who can’t see how you can read the Letters and still believe Paul penned Hebrews. Oh, well.  We both believe God is the Author of His Word, the Author and Finisher of our faith.)"

Quickly, my case, in a nutshell, if you are interested.

In my opinion, Paul could not have written:

" How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;" (KJV  Heb 2:3)

for Paul was certainly one of “them that heard him.”  Acts 9 

"And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?  And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?"

To me, this is the most compelling reason to believe Paul was not the writer.  There are others, e.g., the missing “salutation” which we see in Paul’s letters.

Romans 1:1  Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle

I Cor 1:1 Paul called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ

Ii Cor 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God

Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ

Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;)

Colossians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ

I Thess 1:1  Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus

II Thess 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus

I Tim 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ

II Tim 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ

Titus 1:1  Paul, a servant of God

Philemon 1:1  Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ

Compare these with

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets

Yet Louie may have as good a chance of being right as I have.  But you have probably perceived that I doubt that is the case.