Acts 18

[rroath]

My morning prayer focus for the last few weeks has been the Messianic Faith with it's relationship to the non-believing Jew and it's relationship with the Christian Church. Now today I have been awakened with the Scripture of Acts 18.

I am asking my community here for help and input. Read this chapter and tell me what the Rauch is telling you through this. I have read through it now four times this morning and for whatever reason I am not connecting the dots. Maybe it is because I am trying to connect them, I don't know. So, I thought......Let me put it on here and see what you all get out of it and maybe that will help to get me headed in the right direction.

Thank you in advance for your participation and insight.

Ralph

[alon]

Acts chapter 18 is a hodgepodge of different events, so it might help if you said specifically what was troubling you. However a few things popped out at me. First, even though Rav Sha’ul witnessed to both Jew and Gentile, all the action here is centered around the synagogue. There were no churches.

In verse six when he said he would go to the Gentiles, he only went to those in Corinth. So he did not mean that as he would only got to Gentiles. Christians like to believe “Paul, he is OUR guy!” But that was never the case. Rav Sha’ul said it best:

Rom 1:16 (KJV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rom 2:10 (KJV) But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:

“The Jews” in Acts 18:12 was, according to my footnotes in the ESV, probably some of the leaders. I think this is a case of intentional mistranslation to make the Jews look bad. It happens a lot in all Christian translations. In this case, it seems to have first taken place in the Greek translation in at least one of the manuscripts.

G2453 Ἰουδαῖος Ioudaios ee-oo-dah'-yos From G2448 (in the sense of G2455 as a country); udaean, that is, belonging to Jehudah: - Jew (-ess), of Juda.

It sounds specious to me, as why would the Jews have brought a matter of their faith to a pagan court to be decided?

At Cenchreae when he cut his hair because he was under a vow, this can only be the Nazarite vow. Again, Rav Sha’ul is dealing with the Jews. He also participated in animal sacrifices.

In verse 22 the translators had to sneak the word “church” into the mix.

ἐκκλησία ekklēsia ek-klay-see'-ah From a compound of G1537 and a derivative of G2564; a calling out, that is, (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both): - assembly, church.

This same word in the LXX is translated assembly or gathering. Why not here, unless there is an agenda at play? This is how Christianity, which did not exist at the time, forces itself into the discussion.

In Ephesus the action once again centers around the synagogue. Apollos is said to only know “the baptism of John.” This was not, nor did any of the 1st cen Jews practice, baptism as we know it. It was tevilah, which was done often and for many things. One of them was when you converted to a different sect of Judaism. So what this is saying is that Apollos was taught by Yochanon the Immerser- not just that he got dunked by a guy named John. Yochanon had a large enough following he could be said to have his own sect. But he only taught what he knew and what he was called to teach. This is why Priscilla and Aquila took him aside and explained things more accurately.

That’s all I got, unless you have something specific.

Dan C

[rroath]

Actually Alon, that is what is weird. I don't have anything specific as of yet. Normally when I am given Scripture, I am given reasoning with it or shortly thereafter. This time, so far, nothing.....crickets.....Lol. I too, come up with a lot of different topics here. However, I do find it interesting that in verse 7 (KJV) is states "...and entered into a certain man's house, named Justus, one that worshipped God, whose house joined hard to the synagogue." This verse, just like the rest of the Chapter, is full of stuff.
However, one of the things that really stuck out to me was the part of "whose house joined hard to the synagogue." Some translations say "next door" some say "next too" and some even say "across the street." Talk about driving a wedge into something...... Actually this "joined hard" means, "ane" I agree and comes from the root "imee" that means I exist. So, as you stated "...there were no churches", the gentiles that are discussed here "agreed by their existence" with the synagogue. This would lead to the fact that they were of the Judaism faith inside and outside of their life. Again, goes to show that Judaism is NOT a religion. It IS a way of life, "inside and outside."

So no, Dan, I do not have anything specific. I was given this Scripture this morning and not sure why or who for. Will keep on a pluggin......

Thank you, my friend

[Elizabeth]

I will read it and think before offering much as there does seem to be a lot going on. What both of you have said has already helped me. The only thing I notice is how much I have missed in the past at this point. In verse 20, "the Jews" ask Paul to stay a bit longer with them while in the synagogue but he has to leave to keep the coming feast in Jerusalem. How does that not jump off the page to Christians, including this former one? I don't know how I, or the rest of Christisnity avoided having to wrestle with that little piece of -observant information, but pretty glaring now. My NKJV offers no comment on it either.

[jimmie]

Verses 12- 17 is what cought my eye:
And when Gallio was the deputy of Achaia, the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul, and brought him to the judgment seat,
Saying, This fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law.
And when Paul was now about to open his mouth, Gallio said unto the Jews, If it were a matter of wrong or wicked lewdness, O ye Jews, reason would that I should bear with you:
But if it be a question of words and names, and of your law, look ye to it; for I will be no judge of such matters.
And he drave them from the judgment seat.
Then all the Greeks took Sosthenes, the chief ruler of the synagogue, and beat him before the judgment seat. And Gallio cared for none of those things.

Paul was about to show that he did not teach men to worship God contrary to law; but the judge would not allow the Jews to complain to him of what was not within his office. It was right of Gallio to leave the Jews to themselves in matters relating to their religion, but yet would let them, under pretence of that, commit an act of lewdness in beating Sosthenes. Gallio spoke as if he boasted of his ignorance of the Scriptures, as if the law of God was beneath his notice. Gallio cared for none of these things. If he cared not for the affronts of bad men, it was commendable; but he concerned not himself for the abuses done to good men, his indifference was carried too far. And those who see and hear of the sufferings of God's people, and have no feeling for them, or care for them, who do not pity and pray for them, are of the same spirit as Gallio, who cared for none of these things. How many Gallio’s do you know who care not for God’s laws?