The Acts of the Apostles, the history of the early church, by Luke the physician - Acts 6:1-7 comments : choosing the seven, including Stephen

 

Acts 6:1 ¶  And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. 2  Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3  Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4  But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 5  And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 6  Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them. 7  And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.

 

If Ananias and Sapphira weren’t enough to throw a monkey wrench into communism, then the murmuring and complaining of the Greek Christians against the Jews would. Their complaint was that their own widows were being neglected. Every church at some point, because it is composed of fallible human beings, although hopefully saved human beings, who will argue and whose self-centered egos will sow discord and there is often favoritism and cliques, the in-crowd, will have these problems. This can lead to people being neglected or perceiving that they are being neglected. If this is typical human behavior, even saved human behavior on this scale imagine how hopeless communism would be on a national scale.

 

The twelve Apostles were already overworked and needed help and so they could focus on the ministry of the word they needed deacons to assist them with the care of the congregation. I am reminding of Moses and how he was in danger of being crushed by his responsibility. He took the advice of his father-in-law, Jethro, to keep from burning out.

 

Exodus 18:13 ¶  And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people: and the people stood by Moses from the morning unto the evening. 14  And when Moses’ father in

law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that thou doest to the people? why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? 15  And Moses said unto his father in law, Because the people come unto me to enquire of God: 16  When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws. 17  And Moses’ father in law said unto him, The thing that thou doest is not good. 18  Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone. 19  Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people to God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God: 20  And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws, and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk, and the work that they must do. 21  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens: 22  And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee. 23  If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace. 24  So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. 25  And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. 26  And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves. 27  And Moses let his father in law depart; and he went his way into his own land.

 

Seven men are chosen to oversee service to the congregation in the way of physical needs. Most commentators report that these and those who follow after them were called deacons. There are later listed certain requirements and restrictions for deacons.

 

1Timothy 3:8 ¶  Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9  Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10  And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 11  Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12  Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13  For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

 

Roman documents suggest that the early church had female deacons as well.

 

Pliny the Younger was the governor Bithynia in what we know today as Turkey, geographically Asia Minor. He wrote a letter about Christians to the Emperor Trajan around 115AD. Here is the content of what we have today. Paul could not go to Bithynia but Peter may have gone there.

Acts 16:7  After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

1Peter 1:1  Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,

Here is one translation from the Latin between the two men.

“Pliny the Younger to the Emperor Trajan

It is my practice, my lord, to refer to you all matters concerning which I am in doubt. For who can better give guidance to my hesitation or inform my ignorance? I have never participated in trials of Christians. I therefore do not know what offenses it is the practice to punish or investigate, and to what extent. And I have been not a little hesitant as to whether there should be any distinction on account of age or no difference between the very young and the more mature; whether pardon is to be granted for repentance, or, if a man has once been a Christian, it does him no good to have ceased to be one; whether the name itself, even without offenses, or only the offenses associated with the name are to be punished.

Meanwhile, in the case of those who were denounced to me as Christians, I have observed the following procedure: I interrogated these as to whether they were Christians; those who confessed I interrogated a second and a third time, threatening them with punishment; those who persisted I ordered executed. For I had no doubt that, whatever the nature of their creed, stubbornness and inflexible obstinacy surely deserve to be punished. There were others possessed of the same folly; but because they were Roman citizens, I signed an order for them to be transferred to Rome.

Soon accusations spread, as usually happens, because of the proceedings going on, and several incidents occurred. An anonymous document was published containing the names of many persons. Those who denied that they were or had been Christians, when they invoked the gods in words dictated by me, offered prayer with incense and wine to your image, which I had ordered to be brought for this purpose together with statues of the gods, and moreover cursed Christ--none of which those who are really Christians, it is said, can be forced to do--these I thought should be discharged. Others named by the informer declared that they were Christians, but then denied it, asserting that they had been but had ceased to be, some three years before, others many years, some as much as twenty-five years. They all worshipped your image and the statues of the gods, and cursed Christ.

They asserted, however, that the sum and substance of their fault or error had been that they were accustomed to meet on a fixed day before dawn and sing responsively a hymn to Christ as to a god, and to bind themselves by oath, not to some crime, but not to commit fraud, theft, or adultery, not falsify their trust, nor to refuse to return a trust when called upon to do so. When this was over, it was their custom to depart and to assemble again to partake of food--but ordinary and innocent food. Even this, they affirmed, they had ceased to do after my edict by which, in accordance with your instructions, I had forbidden political associations. Accordingly, I judged it all the more necessary to find out what the truth was by torturing two female slaves who were called deaconesses. But I discovered nothing else but depraved, excessive superstition.

I therefore postponed the investigation and hastened to consult you. For the matter seemed to me to warrant consulting you, especially because of the number involved. For many persons of every age, every rank, and also of both sexes are and will be endangered. For the contagion of this superstition has spread not only to the cities but also to the villages and farms. But it seems possible to check and cure it. It is certainly quite clear that the temples, which had been almost deserted, have begun to be frequented, that the established religious rites, long neglected, are being resumed, and that from everywhere sacrificial animals are coming, for which until now very few purchasers could be found. Hence it is easy to imagine what a multitude of people can be reformed if an opportunity for repentance is afforded.

Trajan to Pliny the Younger

You observed proper procedure, my dear Pliny, in sifting the cases of those who had been denounced to you as Christians. For it is not possible to lay down any general rule to serve as a kind of fixed standard. They are not to be sought out; if they are denounced and proved guilty, they are to be punished, with this reservation, that whoever denies that he is a Christian and really proves it--that is, by worshiping our gods--even though he was under suspicion in the past, shall obtain pardon through repentance. But anonymously posted accusations ought to have no place in any prosecution. For this is both a dangerous kind of precedent and out of keeping with the spirit of our age.”(1)

(1)   http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/pliny.html. (accessed 3.28.2018).

 

 

Female deacons were also present in the early Baptist churches of the seventeenth century.(2)

 

(2)   McBeth, H. Leon. The Baptist Heritage (Kindle Location 780). B&H Publishing. Kindle Edition.

 

Laying hands on someone to confer a blessing or authority was established a long time prior to this.

 

Deuteronomy 34:9 ¶  And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses.

 

Notice how what was in the beginning thought to be merely a sect of Judaism was cutting into the company of the priests.

Leviticus 16:5-34 comments: the scapegoat

 

Leviticus 16:5 ¶  And he shall take of the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats for a sin offering, and one ram for a burnt offering. 6  And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. 7  And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 8  And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9  And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 10  But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness. 11  And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself: 12  And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail: 13  And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not: 14  And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

 

Aaron first makes an atonement for himself to satisfy the enmity between the priest as a man and God. The Christian’s high priest does not need to make an atonement for Himself as He is God and without sin.

Hebrews 2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

 

Hebrews 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

 

Notice the two goats here. We have adopted the use of the word scapegoat into our language from Tyndale’s translation of 1530 but from the early 1800s it was a reference to someone being blamed for someone else’s sins or errors.

Sceptics make much of Tyndale translating a Hebrew word for the ‘goat sent away’ to scapegoat for a goat that escapes as scape is an archaic form of escape. This is typical of the absurd wrangling against the KJV. If they transliterated Azazel for the goat sent away would that make the passage easier to understand for you or change its meaning? The scapegoat is sent away and escapes the fate of the LORD’s goat.

Leviticus 16:15 ¶  Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat: 16  And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness. 17  And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel. 18  And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the

blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about. 19  And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.

 

Aaron must make an atonement for the congregation, for himself, and for his family.

 

Leviticus 16:20 ¶  And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat: 21  And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness: 22  And the goat shall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited: and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness. 23  And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there: 24  And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people. 25  And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar. 26  And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp. 27  And the bullock for the sin offering, and the goat for the sin offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall one carry forth without the camp; and they shall burn in the fire their skins, and their flesh, and their dung. 28  And he that burneth them shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.

 

In this passage the scapegoat is bearing the iniquity of the congregation and being sent off into the wilderness. Christ bore our sins and carried them away.

Hebrews 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

 

I am reminded of the following verses.

 

Psalm 103:10  He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11  For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. 12  As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

 

One major difference between this scapegoat and all of the animal sacrifices versus what Christ did on the Cross was that Christ’s sacrifice was sufficient once and for all.

 

Hebrews 7:26  For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27  Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28  For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

 

This is one reason, of many, why I believe in eternal security, that once you are saved you cannot be unsaved. For as it also says in Hebrews if you could get unsaved you could never get saved again, which goes against what the Bible said about Peter when he denied Christ and about forgiveness and redemption in Paul’s letters.

Hebrews 6:1 ¶  Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2  Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3  And this will we do, if God permit. 4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

 

Leviticus 16:29 ¶  And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: 30  For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD. 31  It shall be a sabbath of rest unto you, and ye shall afflict your souls, by a statute for ever. 32  And the priest, whom he shall anoint, and whom he shall consecrate to minister in the priest’s office in his father’s stead, shall make the atonement, and shall put on the linen clothes, even the holy garments: 33  And he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. 34  And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the LORD commanded Moses.

 

This atonement was performed yearly. But, as you and I have seen, Christ’s atonement for us was once and for all.

Paul goes into some detail about sacrifices and Christ in the book of Hebrews.

 

Hebrews 10:1 ¶  For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. 2  For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. 3  But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. 4  For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. 5  Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: 6  In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

 

7 ¶  Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

8  Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; 9  Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

10  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11  And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12  But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13  From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14  For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

The Acts of the Apostles, the history of the early church, by Luke the physician - Acts 5:17- 42 comments : the Sadducees indignant have the Apostles arrested

 

Acts 5:17 ¶  Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation, 18  And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison. 19  But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said, 20  Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life. 21  And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22  But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told, 23  Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. 24  Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow. 25  Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.

 

Note what I said back in comments on 4:1-4;

 

Acts 23:8  For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both.

 

Back in 3:15 Peter referred to Christ’s resurrection which would have seriously perturbed this sect of the Jews. Josephus, the Jewish general turncoat who worked for the Romans and wrote histories of the Jews claimed that they believed that the soul could die, that there was no afterlife, that there were no rewards or penalties after death, and that only the written law was valid. They were composed of the upper class and educated elite who oversaw the temple operations and shared with the Roman upper class a denial of the reality of the supernatural. They did, apparently, believe in God but were more political and worldly than the more conservative Pharisees, and they were composed of a ruling class that expected God’s benefits and prosperity now, in this life, and denied even His intervention in history, sources say. They would have been terrified of anything that threatened their position under Roman authority.

 

They threw the Apostles in prison. But, the angel of the Lord, the presence of Christ Himself, opened the doors and literally took them out of the prison and set them free, ordering them to teach in the temple, sort of rubbing it in the faces of these priests. Imagine the scene as officers of the council go to a prison whose doors are still shut with guards standing guard still but none of the Apostles inside.

 

The officials were very perplexed at these developments and on top of that they were then told that the very men who had been locked up were now standing in the temple teaching freely.

 

Acts 5:26 ¶  Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned. 27  And when they had brought them, they set them before the council: and the high priest asked them, 28  Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. 29  Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men. 30  The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 31  Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. 32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him. 33  When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them. 34  Then stood there up one in the council, a Pharisee, named Gamaliel, a doctor of the law, had in reputation among all the people, and commanded to put the apostles forth a little space; 35  And said unto them, Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men. 36  For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought. 37  After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed. 38  And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39  But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God. 40  And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41  And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. 42  And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

 

Always aware of the dangers of a riot the officials bring the Apostles without violence to stand in front of the council and Peter makes that great statement about it being more important to obey God than men. Of course, this verse can be twisted in many different ways. But I want to put in here comments I made on chapter 4:15-22;

 

Peter and John declared, not only to the council but to us, the grounds on which we may disobey any civil law.

 

4:19  But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20  For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

 

There is no law that has any authority over the Holy Spirit that works inside of us. No law can contain that Spirit.

 

Galatians 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

 

We are called to be witnesses for Christ and to make disciples.

 

Matthew 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 

The leadership, probably caught between the amazement of the people for this miracle and the danger to their position if this aroused a disturbance that would come to the attention of their Roman masters, can only threaten them and then let them go. They were always torn between trying to squelch what was being preached or trying to ignore it for fear of public unrest.

 

Mark 12:12  And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

 

John 11:46  But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. 47  Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. 48  If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

 

Gamaliel was an esteemed teacher of the Law. He was Paul’s professor.

 

Acts 22:3  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.

 

Gamaliel gave sage advice to the council. He warned them to be careful. He mentioned a revolt led by a Theudas, which was a common Hebrew name, and should not be confused with the Theudas referred to by the Jewish general turncoat and historian Josephus who mentioned a much later rebel by that name. Gamaliel places Theudas’ uprising before Judas of Galilee’s which was during the reign of Herod. If Jesus was like one of them then the Apostle’s efforts would come to nothing as their leader was dead. But, if this was of God they cannot fight it because they would be fighting God. It is interesting that this doctor of the Law would even consider the truth of Christ. But this is not salvation, this hedging your bets. It is not salvation to say, well, I’ll believe on Christ just in case He’s real. That is not faith.

 

Now that they are being left alone after a humiliating beating and a useless warning not to preach Jesus the Apostles are even more bold in their teaching and preaching. In the first century most of the church met in small groups in people’s houses.

 

Romans 16:5  Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.

 

1Corinthians 16:19  The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.

 

Colossians 4:15  Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.

 

Philemon 1:2  And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:

 

Teaching and preaching in every house just like Paul going from house to house in Acts 20:20 is not about winning new souls but about making disciples of believers.

Leviticus 16:1-4 comments: washing

 

Leviticus 16:1 ¶  And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died; 2  And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. 3  Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. 4  He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on.

 

Here are instructions for Aaron so that when he comes into the presence of God, who will appear in a cloud on the mercy seat on the ark. Notice that Aaron, in keeping with the works aspect of the Law given to Moses, must wash HIMSELF and put on holy garments.

But, for the Christian, after the Resurrection of Christ, and by faith in Him we are washed;

1Corinthians 6:11  And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

 

Titus 3:3  For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. 4  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7  That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

 

And on being clothed in righteousness from God as stated first in Isaiah.

 

Isaiah 61:10 ¶  I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

 

Notice this metaphor regarding garments and righteousness.

 

Revelation 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

 

So, while the instructions here in Leviticus apply to the Aaronic priesthood who must conform to certain rules in the presence of God the Christian has those things applied to Him by God in whose presence we always are as His Spirit, His very mind is in us. Our righteousness is actually His righteousness.

We must remember that our righteousness is from Jesus Christ, not from us.

 

Philippians 1:11  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

 

Philippians 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

 

John 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

 

Romans 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

 

We have access to the very mind of God.

 

1Corinthians 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

 

The Acts of the Apostles, the history of the early church, by Luke the physician - Acts 5:12-16 comments : the Apostles on Solomon's Porch

 

Acts 5:12 ¶  And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. 13  And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them. 14  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.) 15  Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them. 16  There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

 

This is a disruption of routine that must have driven the authorities to distraction. Many signs and wonders were performed by the Apostles, who alone of the believers stayed and preached and performed miracles in Solomon’s Porch also mentioned back in chapter 3. Multitudes were added to the followers of Christ. Peter was given miraculous healing powers and the sick and the possessed were brought to him. Many people were healed. It would seem to the authorities that Christ had not been taken away. Instead of embracing these events are signs from God we will see that the leadership decides on draconian measures.

 

Signs and wonders were very important in the establishment of the people originally set apart for God, the Jews. The nature of the Jew at that time was that they were more impressed by miracles while the Gentile was often persuaded by a sound argument.

 

1Corinthians 1:22  For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks [Paul’s word for Gentiles as Greek was the dominant culture and language] seek after wisdom:

 

Here is the definition of overshadow in verse 15 as relates to;

 

 Luke 1:35  And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

 

It is clearly not like pagan mythologies where a god assumes human form and has sexual relations with a woman. It is about a power doing just what the word implies, overshadowing. There is no physical act of intercourse in Luke 1:35

Leviticus, chapter 15, comments: rules about personal hygiene for the ancient Hebrew

 

Leviticus 15:1 ¶  And the LORD spake unto Moses and to Aaron, saying, 2  Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When any man hath a running issue out of his flesh, because of his issue he is unclean. 3  And this shall be his uncleanness in his issue: whether his flesh run with his issue, or his flesh be stopped from his issue, it is his uncleanness. 4  Every bed, whereon he lieth that hath the issue, is unclean: and every thing, whereon he sitteth, shall be unclean. 5  And whosoever toucheth his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 6  And he that sitteth on any thing whereon he sat that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 7  And he that toucheth the flesh of him that hath the issue shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 8  And if he that hath the issue spit upon him that is clean; then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 9  And what saddle soever he rideth upon that hath the issue shall be unclean. 10  And whosoever toucheth any thing that was under him shall be unclean until the even: and he that beareth any of those things shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 11  And whomsoever he toucheth that hath the issue, and hath not rinsed his hands in water, he shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 12  And the vessel of earth, that he toucheth which hath the issue, shall be broken: and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water. 13  And when he that hath an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean. 14  And on the eighth day he shall take to him two turtledoves, or two young pigeons, and come before the LORD unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and give them unto the priest: 15  And the priest shall offer them, the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the LORD for his issue. 16  And if any man’s seed of copulation go out from him, then he shall wash all his flesh in water, and be unclean until the even. 17  And every garment, and every skin, whereon is the seed of copulation, shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the even. 18  The woman also with whom man shall lie with seed of copulation, they shall both bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the even.

 

A running issue is a discharge from one’s private parts. For instance, the woman who had the issue of blood as reported in Matthew 9, Mark 5, and Luke 8 and in the next passage regarding menstruation. Reading some commentators it appears that it was understood that this was the result of a sexually transmitted disease which is not surprising considering the sexual nature of ancient religion and the fact that ancient temples resembled in their practices modern-day houses of prostitution as much as a place of worship. The Hebrews living in Egypt would have been involved in what some scholars call, “sacred prostitution.”

Sexual immorality, even without the idolatrous and religious implications, often produces unpleasant results.

Psalm 38:7  For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.

 

The contrast between this running issue and the seed of copulation in verse 16 shows that the running issue was not just what medicine calls a nocturnal emission today. Verse 18 takes up matters of cleanliness after sexual union.

First, we must realize that this ritual cure was dependent upon God responding to obedience for success and is not a medical manual applicable to the heathen world although they would have benefited from it if they had not been so filthy, unsanitary, and immoral. Still, it is not a stretch to see the public health benefits of these rules.

 

Leviticus 15:19 ¶  And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be put apart seven days: and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even. 20  And every thing that she lieth upon in her separation shall be unclean: every thing also that she sitteth upon shall be unclean. 21  And whosoever toucheth her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 22  And whosoever toucheth any thing that she sat upon shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 23  And if it be on her bed, or on any thing whereon she sitteth, when he toucheth it, he shall be unclean until the even. 24  And if any man lie with her at all, and her flowers be upon him, he shall be unclean seven days; and all the bed whereon he lieth shall be unclean. 25  And if a woman have an issue of her blood many days out of the time of her separation, or if it run beyond the time of her separation; all the days of the issue of her uncleanness shall be as the days of her separation: she shall be unclean. 26  Every bed whereon she lieth all the days of her issue shall be unto her as the bed of her separation: and whatsoever she sitteth upon shall be unclean, as the uncleanness of her separation. 27  And whosoever toucheth those things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe himself in water, and be unclean until the even. 28  But if she be cleansed of her issue, then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean. 29  And on the eighth day she shall take unto her two turtles, or two young pigeons, and bring them unto the priest, to the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 30  And the priest shall offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering; and the priest shall make an atonement for her before the LORD for the issue of her uncleanness. 31  Thus shall ye separate the children of Israel from their uncleanness; that they die not in their uncleanness, when they defile my tabernacle that is among them. 32  This is the law of him that hath an issue, and of him whose seed goeth from him, and is defiled therewith; 33  And of her that is sick of her flowers, and of him that hath an issue, of the man, and of the woman, and of him that lieth with her that is unclean.

 

Here is clearly a discussion about menstruation. Verse 25 deals with an unusual situation like the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment mentioned earlier. Flowers is a euphemism for menstruation like sleep in John 11:11 and 1 Corinthians 15:51 is a euphemism for death.