ACTS LESSON 28

    We will pick up this lesson in Acts 13:13 "Now when Paul and his
company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia: and John
departing from them returned to Jerusalem."

    We find that Saul (Paul) left and went for the first time to Asia
Minor.  Perga was the capitol of Pamphylia.  This area was inhabited
by the Jewish people.  The worship of the false goddess Diana had been
prevalent here.  There was even a temple built right out of town in
Perga to this false goddess.  John went back to Jerusalem, instead of
coming with them to Perga.

    Acts 13:14  "But when they departed from Perga, they came to
Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day,
and sat down."

    This is not the Antioch in Syria where the followers of Jesus were
first called Christians.  This was an area where desperate criminals
roamed and robbed everyone that came through.  II Corinthians 11:26 is
probably speaking of this trip when Saul was in danger of robbers.
They were not completely bad, because there was a synagogue there.

    Acts 13:15 "And after the reading of the law and the prophets the
rulers of the synagogue sent unto them, saying, [Ye] men [and]
brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, say on."

    Whether they had heard rumors from other countries about Saul or
not, it does not say.  It, perhaps, was a little unusual for strangers
to come here, and even more strange for them to come to the synagogue.
Perhaps, these in authority in the synagogue thought they were
probably prophets whom God had sent to them.  For whatever the reason,
they opened the way for Saul and the others to speak freely.

    Acts 13:16 "Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with [his] hand
said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience."

    This should cover everyone who was there worshipping in the
temple.  A person would not be in the temple unless they feared God.
His beckoning with his hand was so that they would come close enough
to hear what he said.  To put it simply he was saying, gather around,
I have something to tell you.

    Acts 13:17 "The God of this people of Israel chose our fathers,
and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of
Egypt, and with an high arm brought he them out of it."

    Saul starts with something that all Jews were familiar with.  This
was something they remembered each year at Passover.  If you were a
descendent of Israel, you were very familiar with this.

    Acts 13:18 "And about the time of forty years suffered he their
manners in the wilderness."

    Also, the forty years in the wilderness was well known to these
people.  Their unbelief had turned a journey of a few days into forty
years.  Not only was this familiar to them, but to Saul, too, since he
was a Pharisee.

    Acts 13:19 "And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of
Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot."

    All of these statements, Saul is making, is to reassure these
Israelites that he was very familiar with what they believed.

    Acts 13:20 "And after that he gave [unto them] judges about the
space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet."

    I do not know exactly how this 450 years fit in here.  I tried to
begin the stay in Egypt 400 years instead of 430, and add forty years
for the wilderness wanderings, which would leave just ten years in
Canaan before the beginning of the judges.  Whatever I came up with
was just pure speculation, so I would rather say, I do not know than
to try to squeeze it around to fit.  I do not know is my answer.

    Acts 13:21 "And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto
them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space
of forty years."

    We remember that God did not want them to have an earthly king.
He was their King.  They insisted, and God gave them Saul to rule over
them as an earthly king.  Saul reigned for forty years.

    Acts 13:22 "And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them
David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I
have found David the [son] of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which
shall fulfil all my will."

    David also reigned forty years as king of Israel.  David was the
beloved of God.  Jesus in the flesh was a descendent of David.  In
Psalms 110:1 we see David speaking of his descendent Jesus.

    Acts 13:23 "Of this man's seed hath God according to [his] promise
raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus:"

    Now Saul is making the connection here between David and his
descendent Jesus Christ (the Saviour of the world).  God had promised
a Saviour to the Israelites. They called him Messiah, but they did not
accept Jesus as this promised one.

    Acts 13:24 "When John had first preached before his coming the
baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel."

    This is speaking of John the Baptist who went through the country
crying, repent for the Lord is coming.  This message was preached to
the house of Israel.

    Acts 13:25 "And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think
ye that I am? I am not [he]. But, behold, there cometh one after me,
whose shoes of [his] feet I am not worthy to loose."

    John the Baptist, who all of the Israelites had great respect for,
told them that he was not the Messiah, but was proclaiming the coming
of the Messiah.  It is strange to me, that they thought so much of
John the Baptist (flocking to him to be baptized) and did not believe
what he had told them about Jesus being the Christ (the Messiah).

    Acts 13:26 "Men [and] brethren, children of the stock of Abraham,
and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this
salvation sent."

    This includes everyone who believes in God.  God sent His Son to
be the Saviour of them all.  Paul reminds them, here, that the message
of salvation through Jesus Christ was sent to the physical house of
Israel first. Stock of Abraham means physical house of Israel.

    Acts 13:27 "For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers,
because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which
are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled [them] in condemning
[him]."

    Paul is reminding them, here, of the prophets who prophesied that
Jesus would be rejected by his own.  This was so true, because His own
received Him not.  The prophets read the Scriptures every Saturday
which told of this very thing.

    Acts 13:28 "And though they found no cause of death [in him], yet
desired they Pilate that he should be slain."

    We went into this in great detail in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
John.  Just to touch on it here, Pilate was against crucifying Jesus.
He washed his hands of the whole matter.  The temple rulers and most
of the other Israelites wanted Him crucified.  They even told Pilate
that they and their children would bear the blame.  Jesus fulfilled
all the prophecies, but they had scales over their eyes and would not
accept the Truth.

    Acts 13:29 "And when they had fulfilled all that was written of
him, they took [him] down from the tree, and laid [him] in a
sepulchre." Acts 13:30 "But God raised him from the dead:"

    Paul tells them, here, that even though they thought they were rid
of Jesus (by killing Him and putting Him in a tomb), He rose from the
grave.

    Acts 13:31 "And he was seen many days of them which came up with
him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people."

    Paul says, here, that it was not just the eleven disciples that
saw Jesus after He arose.  In another Scripture, we are told that
Jesus was seen of over 500 people after his resurrection.  Paul is
telling them that there were many eyewitnesses that they can check
with.  These eyewitnesses are telling this everywhere.  It will not be
difficult to find someone who saw Him.

    Acts 13:32 "And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the
promise which was made unto the fathers,"  Acts 13:33 "God hath
fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up
Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my
Son, this day have I begotten thee."

    This particular thing Paul mentioned here is in Psalms 2:7 but all
the chapter is really about Jesus.  I love the 12th verse the most, it
says, Psalms 2:12, "Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from
the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.  Blessed are all they
that put their trust in him."  You see, if we put our trust in Jesus,
we are blessed.  Paul reminds them, again above, that it was
prophesied that Jesus would rise from the grave.

    Acts 13:34 "And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead,
[now] no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will
give you the sure mercies of David." Acts 13:35 "Wherefore he saith
also in another [psalm], Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see
corruption."

    Psalms 16:10 is the Scripture Paul is speaking of here.  Jesus
Christ (the Messiah) (the Word) is an eternal being.  Death could not
contain Him for He is Life.  St. John chapter 1 tells of the eternity
of His being.  The body begins to decay on the fourth day.  Jesus rose
from the grave on the third day, so even His body did not experience
corruption.

                                 Notes























                           Acts 28 Questions


1.  At what time did John leave Paul?
2.  This was the first time Paul had come to _______________.
3.  The worship of what false goddess was prevalent here?
4.  When they left Perga, where did they go?
5.  Was this the same place the followers of Jesus were first called
    Christians?
6.  After the reading of the law and prophets, what did the rulers say
    to them?
7.  Who did Paul tell to give audience?
8.  Paul reminded them that God brought their people out of Egypt,
    how?
9.  How long were they in the wilderness?
10. How many nations in Canaan did God run out to make room for
    Israel?
11. How many years after, did Paul say God gave the judges until
    Samuel?
12. Who was the first king of Israel?
13. What tribe was he from?
14. How long did he reign?
15. Who took the place of Saul to rule?
16. Who was the father of David?
17. Of whose seed did God promise Jesus the Saviour to be?
18. Who preached the baptism of repentance?
19. How had John compared himself to Jesus?
20. What does stock of Abraham mean?
21. Who all is included in verse 26 to hear the gospel?
22. What was read every sabbath?
23. Who did the Israelites choose to carry out their evil wishes
    toward Jesus?
24. How was Jesus killed?
25. After they killed Him, what did they do?
26. What happened on the third day?
27. Who are Jesus' witnesses to the people?
28. What is written in second Psalms?
29. "...Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see _____________."
30. In Psalms 2:12 who are blessed?

                                 Notes