BIBLE STUDY LESSON 02

SERIES V --- JOURNEYS FOR YESHUA

GENTILES RESPOND

THE FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY: PISIDIAN ANTIOCH

From Acts 13:13-52

Leaving Paphos by ship, Paul and his companions sailed toward Pamphylia, northwest of Cyprus. After a journey of about two hundred miles by sea, they arrived at the seaport of Attalia, then made their way overland to Perga. But when they arrived, John Mark decided to quit and return to Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas continued north across the Taurus Mountain range to Pisidian Antioch, about one hundred miles from Perga. On the Shabbat they attended the local synagogue. After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue leaders sent a message to them. [Brothers, speak up if you have some word of instruction for us,] they said. Paul stood up and motioned for the people to be quiet. Then he gave this speech: [Men of Israel, and all others who worship YHVH, listen to what I say. First, let me remind you of our heritage. Even when our ancestors were slaves in Egypt, YHVH chose to make them a great nation. With a powerful arm He led them from Egypt and endured their conduct in the wilderness for forty years. He destroyed seven nations in their path as they entered Canaan, and divided the land among their tribes, which took about four hundred and fifty years. He gave our people judges to rule them until the prophet Samuel came, and then when they asked for a king, he gave them Saul, who ruled for forty years. When YHVH removed him from the throne, He gave the people King David, a man whom YHVH said was ‘after His own heart, a man who desired to do His will.’ Now, from David’s descendants, YHVH has given us a Saviour, whose Name is Yeshua. John the Baptist proclaimed His coming and urged our people to repent and turn from their sin to YHVH. John made it clear that he was not the Moshiach, but that Someone was coming Who was far greater than he. Now brother Israelites, and you Gentiles who are worshiping here, YHVH offers this salvation to all of us. Our people in Jerusalem did not recognize Yeshua as the Moshiach, so they killed Him, just as the prophets had said they would. They had heard the Prophets read every Shabbat, but did not recognize that they spoke about Yeshua. When they found no good reason to kill Him, they pressured Pilate into killing Him anyway, fulfilling many prophecies in the Scriptures. After Yeshua was crucified on a cross, they laid Him in a tomb. But YHVH raised Him to life again and He appeared alive to His followers from Galilee. They have publicly testified that they have seen Him alive. Barnabas and I are here to tell you that the promised Moshiach has come. YHVH raised Yeshua to life again! This is what the second Psalm meant where YHVH said, ‘You are My Son for today I have become Your Father.’ In another Psalm, YHVH told how He would raise up Yeshua from death, never to let Him die again. There He said that He would not permit His holy One to see corruption.’ David, after he served YHVH during his own generation, died and was buried, and his body decayed. But the body of Yeshua never decayed. Listen to me, brothers. This Yeshua alone has the power to forgive your sins. Whoever trusts Him completely will be freed from sin and guilt. The law could never do that! Be careful that you do not let the prophets’ words foretell your actions. They said, ‘Some of you will perish, for you will not believe in a wonderful work I will do, even when you hear about it.’] As Paul and Barnabas left the synagogue, the people begged them to come back with another message the next Shabbat. Many people followed them into the streets, where Paul and Barnabas urged them to accept the mercy YHVH offered. The whole city came to the synagogue the next Shabbat to hear YHVH’s Word. But the synagogue leaders became jealous and began to argue with Paul and Barnabas, saying abusive things to them. The two missionaries kept on preaching fearlessly, refusing to let the leaders intimidate them. We have tried to bring the Good News to you people first,] Paul told them. [But since you refuse it, you are not worthy of YHVH’s gift. We will offer it to the Gentiles. This is what Adonai was saying when He spoke of ‘appointing us to be a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’] The Gentiles were glad to hear this, and many accepted Adonai’s message and eternal life which He offered. Soon the Word of YHVH spread throughout that region. But the Jewish leaders stirred up some of the leading people of the city against Paul and Barnabas. Before long, the two missionaries were forced out of town. Paul and Barnabas shook the dust from their feet, a symbolic act which said, “I am no longer a part of you.] Then they went on their way to Iconium. The people of Antioch who had accepted Yeshua remained behind, filled with joy and Ruach HaKodesh.

COMMENTARY

THE SHABBAT

In six days YHVH created the heavens and the earth, but on the seventh day He rested. In honour of His pause after the task of creation, Adonai set aside the Shabbat as a day of rest. At Mount Sinai He Commanded the Israelites to follow His example by stopping all work every seventh day. YHVH made the Shabbat as a blessing for men, not a burden. It was meant to protect the people from cruel taskmasters who demanded work without rest. Even the animals were included in the Commandment to rest on the Shabbat. But in the hands of the scribes, the Law became a tyrant instead of a protector. The Jewish lawyers invented long lists of harsh rules. They declared it a sin to build a fire or tie a knot on the Shabbat. Women could not braid their hair, and men were forbidden to carry a wallet. The scribes said that all of these things were {work.} The scribes and Pharisees attacked Yeshua because He did not keep their rules. They accused Him of breaking the Law when He healed the sick on the Shabbat. But Yeshua declared life more important than the Law. [The Shabbat was made for man, and not man for the Shabbat,] He answered. The first believers were Hebrews by birth. Even after Yeshua’ resurrection, they continued to keep the Shabbat and worship in the temple. But when the Gentiles accepted the Gospel, the church faced a new problem. Were believers required to keep the Jewish Laws? The apostle Paul said no. He argued that all believers were free from the Law. Both Jews and Gentiles enjoyed new liberty through Yeshua Moshiach. The leaders of the early church held a Council in Jerusalem to settle the argument About the Jewish Law and customs. They decided that Gentiles were not required to keep the Jewish religious Laws, or to become Jews first, in order to be believers. But Gentile and Hebrew believers were expected to abstain from certain things, but not because those things would dishonour Adonai. Likewise, the Shabbat or Adonai’s Day, a part of the moral Law, became a time to honour Adonai more than a time of rules the Jewish leaders had established.