Snoopy Approaches Acts

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Acts 16: 35-40
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Bible Gateway passage: Acts 16:35-40 - New English Translation

At daybreak the magistrates sent their police officers, saying, “Release those men.” The jailer reported these words to Paul, saying, “The magistrates have sent orders to release you. So come out now and go in peace.” But Paul said to the police officers, “They had us beaten in public without a...
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The magistrates send orders to the jailer to release Paul and Silas. The jailer tells them to go in peace.

But they refuse to leave secretly and demand an escort by the magistrates. Because Paul and Silas are Roman citizens, the magistrates are frightened and they apologize.

When they come out of prison, Paul and Silas enter Lydia's house. They encourage the brothers and then depart.
 
The earthquake acted in a 2 fold way ---it not only freed Paul and Silas and it brought a person to realize he couldn't save himself from the impending doom that was waiting for him from the Chief Magistrates for the escape of the prisoners ---so he wants to know how to save himself -----which demonstrated to Paul that he understood he needed a Saviour ---so Paul preached the Word to him which inbirthed Christ's faith in him and he believed in Jesus -which in turn saved his household as they also came to believe as well-----

I say ----
This demonstration of the effects of the earthquake here for the Jailer ------demonstrated what unbelievers need to come to realize----they can't save themselves from impending doom ---they need a Saviour to save them -----

-
 
paradox3 said:
I guess if God sent an earthquake on my behalf, I would be confident, too.
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Seriously, eh. To be honest, a well-timed, seemingly well-targeted quake like that is the kind of thing that could probably convert a lot of people who are on the fence. Not your hardcore atheists or others who have solidly rejected Christ (those would find an explanation that fit their frame of reference), but those who might be "on the fence" or open-minded.
 
paradox3 said:
I would not have thought of that interpretation @unsafe
But there can be layers of meaning in all these stories!
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Just my Spiritual mind working ---is all ----:angel:

So today we see that Paul and Silas are back at the prison ---

So they are at the Jailer's house --save his household and go back to the prison ---I assume so that the jailer doesn't meet his fate of what allowing the prisoners to escape means for him ----??

The Chief Magistrates tell the jailer to Paul and Silas go and tell them to go in peace ---
as they were breaking Roman law by beating and them putting them in prison without a trial as Paul and Silas were Roman citizens ----

Paul then refuses to leave the prison and wants the Magistrates to come to the prison and release them ----cause Paul and Silas know their Roman rights as Citizens

I say ------So now we have to rethink why the earthquake happened ---was it really 2 fold or 1 fold -------

Paul and Silas were going to be freed anyway because they were Roman Citizens and the Law says without a trial they are not to be beaten and thrown in prison ----

So God would have known that ---Right ----civil rights violated here ----LOL

So the earthquake was really not for Paul and Silas's escape from the Magistrates --they were freed to bring Salvation to the Jailer and his family -----

So the officers report to the Magistrates that Paul and Silas are Roman Citizens and they are frightened now because THEY broke Roman civil rights Law ----:ROFLMAO:


AI
Violation of Roman Law

Severe Consequences for Officials:Mistreating a Roman citizen was a serious offense that could lead to loss of office, making the magistrates' actions highly risky.


I say ------This is typical God and how he works things --FOLKS----to come back on the very people holding back His Will ------

So the Magistrates come to the prison and appeal to them ----( I imagine they are apologising left --right and center for their treatment of them )---- and they kept pleating with them to get out of the city ----

They wanted to Sweep there Big Mistake under the Rug --FOLKS ----LOL

I say --------Just like all the corruption that goes on in the Religions and Clergy of this corrupt world -----they try to Sweep it under the Carpet -----trying to Hide their Corruption and violations ----

BUT
- you can't Hide anything From God Folks ---He sees it all -----you will reap what you sow in the end ----

So Paul and Silas go to Lydia’s house and see the Brothers and Sisters there and then go on their way ------

So a great ending here for Paul and Silas and God -----they left behind 2 Converts --Lydia and the Jailer ----and expanded their Church ==== God's His Will was complete there ------

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Acts 17:1-9
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Bible Gateway passage: Acts 17:1-9 - New English Translation

Paul and Silas at Thessalonica - After they traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. Paul went to the Jews in the synagogue, as he customarily did, and on three Sabbath days he addressed them from the scriptures, explaining and...
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Paul and Silas travel on and arrive in Thessalonica. They stay with Jason.

Paul teaches in the synagogue and persuades some of the Jews. He has more success with a large group of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.

The Jews are jealous and gather together a mob from the rabble in the marketplace. They get the city into an uproar & Jason's house is attacked.

City officials get involved but they release Jason, Paul and Silas after collecting bail from them.
 
The missionary journey is not all smooth sailing.

We are coming to the part of Acts which always reads like a geography lesson to me. But I imagine it would be helpful to read the corresponding epistles at the same time.
 
I'm not getting that far North in Greece, though I wouldn't mind seeing Thessaloniki (the modern form of the name) someday. Very old and interesting city, prominent in both the Roman and later in the Byzantine era.
 
So here we see Paul arriving at Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews ---where he engaged in discussion and friendly debate ---

So this was not just Paul preaching ---this was a back and forth discussion and debate by the people in the Synagogue about what the Scriptures are saying ---Paul was explaining and pointing out to these people from the Scriptures that it was necessary for Jesus to suffer and be raised from the dead -----


I say ------So here is a good example of why you need to look up the words used in Scripture ----

The NET which paradox3 is using says
he addressed -----

and in the AMP that i use --says
he engaged

So if you look up the these words in Strong's ---they all mean the same thing in the Greek ---some people will say --WELL these don't say the same thing ---but really they do ----as this one word means all of this ------

Greek word for the AMP version -engaged

Lexical Summary
dialegomai: To engage , discuss, to reason, to argue, to speak , reasoning, reasoned, talking, addressed, argued, carrying on a discussion, discussed

Strong’s Greek 1256 describes an interactive form of speech—reasoning through dialogue rather than delivering a one-way address.


So
He is explaining to them that Jesus is the Christ ----the Messiah and some have
accepted God The Father's Drawing and they receive the Gospel in their heart --and the follow Paul and Silas ----along with many God fearing Greeks and many leading women --

So Paul and Silas have success here ----

Now we see that the unbelieving Jews allow Jealousy to creep in -----and we know that God has allowed their hearts to stay hardened for His purpose ---which is to graft in the Gentiles --

Romans 11:25-26 AMP
​

25 ;I do not want you, believers, to be unaware of this mystery [God’s previously hidden plan]—so that you will not be wise in your own opinion—that a partial hardening has [temporarily] happened to Israel [to last] until the full number of the Gentiles has come in;

26 and so [at that time] all Israel [that is, all Jews who have a personal faith in Jesus as Messiah] will be saved; just as it is written [in Scripture],

These unbelieving Jews along with some thugs ---gather and cause an uproar --they attack Jason's house and try to bring Paul and Silas out to the people ----

But they did not find Paul or Silas there ---so they made an example of Jason and some Brothers and brought them out to the people and authorities -----shouting ---“These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too;

I say ------WOW ---that to me is a compliment to Paul and Silas and all who are Preaching the Gospel as it is turning the world side down ----Jesus came with a sword to divide and put and end to what people think is right side up to this world -----showing that the right side up here is really the Wrong side up -----

Everything Pertaining to God and His Kingdom ---IS ---upside down from this world -----

An example ---in this world you have to climb up the ladder to succeed ----
In God's domain you have to climb down the Latter to succeed -----


The unbelievers continue their rant ----by saying Jason has welcomed them and they are saying contradictory things that undermine the decrees of Caesar ---claiming there is another King ---Jesus ----

The city authorities were stirred up and took bail from Jason and the others and let them go --apparently this security or bail money was given as a guarantee that they would not stir the crowd again -----Kinda of like a modern day bail bond it sounds like ?

The Persecution of preaching the Gospel continues in Acts ----and has extended into today as well ---
 
The verbs used in the NET bible are address (v2), explain and demonstrate. (v3) In my summary, I used the verb teach.

In the AMP version, which @unsafe uses, the verb is engage. This version concludes Paul was engaged in friendly discussion and debate.

Which was it, I wonder?

Let's take a look at Acts 17:2 in different versions of the bible . . . Bible Gateway can give us a single verse in multiple translations.
 
Most versions say Paul reasoned with the folks in the synagogue.

We also see that he discussed or explained the scriptures.

Indeed, some versions say he argued or debated with the people.

Always interesting to see how different versions of the bible can give us a different impression of a text.

In whichever way the three Sabbaths unfolded in the synagogue, the author of Acts wants us to understand Paul had only partial success there.
 
Acts 17:10-15
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Bible Gateway passage: Acts 17:10-15 - New English Translation

Paul and Silas at Berea - The brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea at once, during the night. When they arrived, they went to the Jewish synagogue. These Jews were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they eagerly received the message, examining the scriptures carefully every...
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The brothers send Paul and Silas off to Berea during the night.

Paul and Silas go to the synagogue and they find the Jews more receptive in this location. Many come to believe along with a few prominent Greek men and women.

The Jews from Thessalonica hear of this and they come to Berea, inciting and disturbing the crowds.

Paul is sent away to the coast at once but Silas and Timothy remain in Berea. Paul is escorted as far as Athens. The other two will come to him as soon as possible.
 
The story is sounding a bit clandestine, isn't it? Paul is not completely safe, that's for sure.
 
We see today that Paul and Silas are led out of the city of Thessalonica during the night by the brothers ----Remember Jason and the brothers paid a bond to the authorities indicating that they would not stir up the people anymore ---and like paradox3 indicated Paul and Silas only managed to save a few there as the hostility of the people prevented any further chance to save others -----so the brothers secretively got Paul and Silas out of the city so they wouldn't incite any more riots by their Preaching of the Gospel -----and they went to Berea

So these people in Berea were more susceptible to the hearing of the Gospel there and so Paul preaching was easier in Berea---as he preached in the Synagogue the message was earnestly received and welcomed -----

This verse 11 is important to Note here ----AMP
so they received the message [of salvation through faith in the Christ] with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

I say ------This is important for us today as well ------when we go to Church ---(Building )and hear the Minister Preaching -----we should know if what they are saying is actually in the Scriptures and not something they are just spouting out of their own mind ----So many people are led astray by False prophets today because the Congregation is ignorant of what the Scriptures really say ---so all people going to hear a Minister preach should have a good foundation of what is in the Scriptures ----so they are not Fooled and led down the path to their DOOM ---

Many of the people in Berea were saved by faith in Jesus Christ ----including prominent men and women -----

So now here we have the people who created chaos in Thessalonica hear about what is happening in Berea and ---they of course go there to incite chaos and stir up the people there ----

I say ------Sound familiar this happens all the time in today's world -----there are a group of people who go from place to place in the States especially and incite riots all the time when a protests are going on ---You don't hear of it so much in Canada as you do in the States --but it happens here in Canada also ---as well as other countries -----Good verses Evil Folks ----

So the brothers send Paul away again -----as far as to the sea ----
Poor Paul can't seem to catch a break from these Jewish leaders who are so jealous and enraged about what Paul is preaching -----Jesus was so right when He told His Disciples to expect persecution and hatred when they go out Preaching in His Name ------as the World will hate them as it hated Him -----

i say -----And again that Stands today as so many in the world today hate to hear God's name mentioned ---and hate the fact that as Scripture clearly states -------no matter what religion they think they are in ----there is but one Door open to heaven for all people ----and we decided if we want to accept it or reject it -----

So Timothy and Silas remain in Berea and Paul goes to Athens and sends instructions for Timothy and Silas to join him when they can ------

So Good success in adding to the Church in Berea---for Paul --and His partners

AI applause

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paradox3 said:
Thanks for staying in the discussion so faithfully!
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All THANKS belongs to you --paradox3 ---for so faithfully keeping going when there are few posting ----this is not an easy task you take on---- it requires a lot of reading and intellectual thinking and a great deal of time to do what you do here ---

I personally admire your steadfastness to keep doing these Scriptures ----People are reading what your posting that is for use ---I see the views and there are many ---Views 5K------it blows my mind that people are not posting -----

But I for one am grateful for you doing these Books ---and I hope you continue as long as you want to ------:love:
 
That's nice of you to say @unsafe. Snoopy's bible study has become part of my daily spiritual practice and I like it. I also walk meditatively outside and try to remember to pray a bit.

It would be good to have more participation but as long as I have a few people to interact with, I am happy. Bible studies don't attract many people in RL either. A few of us at church say we are the bible nerds :D

@BetteTheRed is part of a successful, ongoing bible study in her congregation. Maybe I will ask her if she has any tips for growing such a group.
 
paradox3 said:
he Jews from Thessalonica hear of this and they come to Berea, inciting and disturbing the crowds.
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They really did not like Paul and Silas, eh. It's interesting how mixed the reactions are, even within the Jewish world. The Jews from Thessaloniki basically actively persecuting them while the Jews in Berea (also in Macedon, by the way) are more receptive. Whereas the Greeks seem to be largely receptive. Perhaps the law and the fact that Christians seem to be denying its importance matters to a segment of the Jewish community but is largely irrelevant to Gentiles?

And now the action shifts to Athens, where I shall be at the end of next week (as a tourist, not fleeing angry Jews). Must follow this next bit. Might suggest some places to visit, eh. :giggle:

paradox3 said:
It would be good to have more participation but as long as I have a few people to interact with, I am happy. Bible studies don't attract many people in RL either. A few of us at church say we are the bible nerds :D
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I know I am bit more mixed in my participation, but it's been a good thread. As you say, a few more participants would be nice.
 
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