Why Did The People Of Jerusalem Want To Kill Paul?
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If you have a question for Dave and Tom to address in a future Contending for the Faith, stay tuned we’ll have our contact information at the end of the program. You are listening to Search the Scriptures Daily, a radio ministry of The Berean Call. We turn now to our final segment, Understanding the Scriptures.
UNDERSTANDING THE SCRIPTURES
We resume our exploration of the Book of Acts, here again are Dave and Tom: This is our Understanding the Scriptures segment, we are going through the Book of Acts. We are in Acts chapter 21. And we’re going to pick up with verse 30: “And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut.” Dave, as you know, but for some of our audience, who maybe is the first time with us, Paul went to Jerusalem to—I won’t say—to appease the Jews, but to demonstrate that what they were thinking about him, their view of him, turning against the law, turning against his Jewish background, it wasn’t true. So, he tried to do things that would demonstrate to them that what they were accusing him of was false, but it didn’t work. Verse 31: “And as they went about to kill him, tidings came unto the chief captain of the band, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar.” And this would be the Roman captain, the Roman chief.
Dave:
Now Tom, this is a, talk about fanatics—all the city was moved! Somebody has been running around, they didn’t have e-mail, they didn’t have cell phones—
Tom:
Didn’t have some guy standing on the paper, “Extra, Extra, Paul’s in town!”
Dave:
No, I mean, they probably had been talking about this because they knew Paul was there, and the whole city is moved, and they go about to kill him, and tidings come to the chief captain. This is of the band of Roman soldiers that are there to keep order, all Jerusalem is in an uproar. Wow! Remember, earlier in the Book of Acts, in another city one of the leaders said: These are the men who turned the world up side down. Well, it’s certainly turning Jerusalem up side down here because of the hatred. Not that they are trying to arouse, Paul was not trying to arouse a riot, he wasn’t stirring up the people. It goes back to what Jesus said. Tom, I’ve been accused of causing division. Well, Jesus said in Luke 12, He came to bring division. In fact, if we read in John’s gospel, three times it says that there was a division among the Jews because of him. A division of what kind? Between truth, the truth of God, and the lie of the serpent. So, we’ve got two different opposing beliefs. They are opposed to one another, and when Jesus stands for the Truth, He says, I am the Truth, thy Word is Truth, it’s going to cause division. All Paul was doing was teaching the truth from God’s Word, from their own scriptures, and they would have none of it. And Jesus said to his disciples, in John 15, remember? “Well, they hated me, they will hate you. If you are true to me, what do you think they are going to do to you? Do you think they will receive you? No, they will treat you like they treat me.” So Paul is experiencing that first hand.
Tom:
It’s amazing, Dave, these verses that you quoted, they’re avoided by the ecumenists, those who quote some verses where we need unity, we need to be one, another verse that is applied to Jesus.
Dave:
Paul writes in Ephesians 4, “Keeping the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and there is one God, one Lord, and so forth. So, we don’t make unity through an ecumenical movement, we keep the unity that God has made. All those who have received Christ, all those who as their Lord and Savior, all those who follow the Word of God, all those who are born again of the Spirit of God, they are united in the truth, they are united in Christ.
Tom:
Well, Jesus said, Sanctify them by thy Truth, thy Word is Truth, so that’s going to bring division.
Dave:
Yeah, so there’s a big division here. Tom, we don’t read much about the other side of course, we don’t read of loyal disciples standing up and trying to stop this, maybe some of them did but we don’t get all the details.
Tom:
Well anyway verse 32, this captain “Who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down unto them: and when they saw the chief captain and the soldiers, they left beating of Paul. Then the chief captain came near, and took him, and commanded him to be bound with two chains; and demanded who he was, and what he had done. And some cried one thing, some another, among the multitude: and when he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle. And when he came upon the stairs, so it was, that he was borne of the soldiers for the violence of the people. For the multitude of the people followed after, crying, Away with him.” Well, sounds like something that happened to Jesus. Not quite this physical at first, but certainly crucifying him, away with him.
Dave:
Well, the captain has the job of keeping order in Jerusalem. It’s a tough job and he’s got a riot on his hands. He’s trying to find out, he’s doing his best to find out, later on they are going to examine Paul by scourging him, and they are going to set about to do that, and Paul will stop that for a good reason. Well, one cries one thing, another and another, they want to get a hold of Paul, they want to tear him apart. Verse 37: “And as Paul was to be led into the castle, he said unto the chief captain, May I speak unto thee? Who said, Canst thou speak Greek? Art not thou that Egyptian, which before these days made an uproar, and leddest out into the wilderness four thousand men that were murderers? But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. And when he had given him license, Paul stood on the stairs, and beckoned with the hand unto the people. And when there was made a great silence, he spake unto them in the Hebrew tongue, saying….” So, he can speak Greek and he can speak Hebrew, he’s an educated man and—
Tom:
—a citizen of Tarsus.
Dave:
Right, and he is a Roman, but the captain doesn’t know that yet.
Tom:
Yeah, he’s going to bring some back-peddling among the Romans in control here.
Dave:
And when he writes this report he says, Knowing he was a Roman, I went in and rescued him. Well, he didn’t know that at that time. But anyway, so the next chapter we will find out what Paul had to say. Well, I guess we have time, we can through it now, why don’t you go ahead, Tom.
Tom:
Okay, we can get started. Chapter 22:1: “Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defense which I make now unto you. And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith, I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day. And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the high priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them, which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.”
Dave:
Well, this is an introduction, he’s setting the stage, that he’s a Jew, that he persecuted the church, that he grew up at the feet of Gamaliel, who was one of the well known rabbis, and Paul is getting their attention. They are listening carefully and they want to know what he’s going to say next, and I guess that’s what we will get to next week.
Dave and Tom will resume their discussion on the topic of salvation next week, we hope you can join us. This is Search the Scriptures Daily, A radio ministry of The Berean Call.
The apostle John, in Revelation 17 describes in detail characteristics of a beast which comes in the last days. Virtually, all attention these days is focused on the coming Antichrist, but he is only half the story. Many are amazed to discover that that same passage reveals another mysterious character at the heart of prophecy, a woman who rides the beast. Who is this woman? John depicts her as a false church, which will be a partner of the Antichrist. Tradition says she is connected with the church of Rome, but isn’t such a view outdated? After all, today’s Vatican is eager to join hands with Protestants world wide. We are told the Catholic church has changed, or has it? In A Woman Rides The Beast, prophecy expert Dave Hunt sifts through biblical truth and global events to present a well defined portrait of this woman, and her powerful place in thee Antichrist future empire. Eight remarkable clues in Revelation prove the woman’s identity beyond any reasonable doubt. Was John describing the church of Rome? To answer t his question Dave has spent years in historical research primarily from Catholic sources, and provides indisputable documentation. Video host, author and lecturer Dave Hunt: There’s over 500 pages and about 800 footnotes, I think, of documentation that will surprise, perhaps even Catholics, as well as non Catholics, as to the official teaching and practices of the Roman Catholic church, its history, what it really has stood for and stands for today. I’m not making it up, I think it is worthwhile, I think it is something you need to read.
A Woman Rides The Beast, the book and the video are available from The Berean Call, information on how to order in just a moment. If you would like to expand your knowledge of God’s Word, we offer a wide variety of items that we hope you’ll find helpful, from books and tracts to audio and video recordings, CD-ROM, our website and much more. For a complete list of materials, or to get a copy of today’s broadcast, write to us at POB 7019, Bend, Oregon 97708. Call us at our toll free order number 877-882-4253, that’s 877-88Bible, or visit our website at www.thebereancall.org. If you would like a copy of this broadcast on compact disk, ask for Program #3507, and be sure to mention the call letters of this station. And if you would like to watch Dave and Tom, our weekly broadcast is available on DVD, ask about a subscription when you contact us. You can also download both audio and video podcast at our website. Get a pen or pencil ready, we’ll repeat our contact information in just a moment.
Next week, we continue our series of programs based on Dave Hunt’s book, Yoga and the Body of Christ, What Position Should Christians Hold? And, can yoga just be physical? In Religion in the News, Knighthood for Rushdie, we’ll take a look at that story and address the question: Do the Jews have a place in Bible prophecy? We hope you can tune in. If you have questions or comments about this program, we urge you to contact our offices. Search the Scriptures Daily Radio Ministry, is made possible by God’s grace, your prayers and your financial support. I’m Gary Carmichael, and for Dave, Tom and everyone here at The Berean Call, I would like to thank you for joining us, and invite you to tune in again next week. Until then, if you desire to know God’s truth, search the scriptures daily. For more information about The Berean Call, write to us at PO Box 7019, Bend, Oregon 97708. Call us toll free at our order number 877-882-4253, that’s 877-88Bible, or visit our website at www.thebereancall.org.
