OBS: ACTS - Searching for Grace (Part 2 - Saul's integration into the Jewish Believers)

OBS: ACTS, Searching for Grace (Part 2) ACTS is a book of transition, but it's not just a change in program, but a significant change in the 'Good News', and how men would now come into right standing with God.

Acts 9:22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is [the] very Christ [the Messiah]. 23 And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him:

Saul's integration into the Jewish Believers

The highlighted scripture above (Acts 9:23) is a reference to the 3-years that Paul spend in Arabia, (Gal.1:17).

Luke (in this passage) does not give the reason for Saul going to Arabia and also does not have many details of what Saul actually experienced out there. It is Paul himself (in his epistles) that provides a few more details.

Galatians 1:15-18 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb¹ (see notes at the end), and called me by his grace, 16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:* 17 Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter [the lead apostle], and abode with him fifteen days.)

*Paul, (during these 'certain days' (Acts 9:19) he spent with the Damascus disciples), was already starting to get some (small measure of) revelation regarding his new purpose and ministry (eg: Acts 9:6,15 - that he had to go to the 'Gentiles' ). This information was enough to warrant him to separate himself for a while to get more clarity about it, to let it settle, and to allow it to change him (ie: to unlearn the Law?; to accept Gentiles!). Give Saul's background, being a Jew of the Jews and a Pharisee, he disassociated with Gentiles and thought them to be vile and dogs!! Saul probably needed all the 3 years to just de-program from this fact and to make peace that he was chosen to go to the Gentiles. Naturally, he could not share all this yet and certainly could not get counsel from the other disciples regarding these revelations, as nobody was qualified to advise him and would probably cause more harm with skewed or tainted guidance and opinion according to their Jewish ideas or traditions! This is why the above scripture says that 'he conferred not with flesh and blood'.

After this 3-year period, Paul returned to Damascus and continued to go to the Jewish synagogues, preaching "about Christ", to the discontent of many unbelieving Jews.

Time for some Q&A,

1. After his return, what new revelations did he know?
   We will never know for sure, but I believe the Lord would have spent more time 'de-programming' Saul's mind than giving deep insights into the mysteries and grace doctrine. I believe Saul returned from Arabia as a new man (more humble and less discriminate), but still not knowing much at all about his grace ministry.
   
   
2. Did Saul change anything about his message that he preached in v.20 and include some new details of what he learned in Arabia?
   It's doubtful that he changed much of his message since he was still preaching to the Jews only and the Kingdom program was still in full operation, (ie: Saul thought - If the Jews would repent, the Kingdom could come, - see Rom.9:1-5; Rom.11:14-15).
   
   
3. Who was his audience?
   Still only Jews.
   
   
4. Was there any Gentiles involved at this point?
   Absolutely not! (See Acts 11:19)

Acts 9:23 ... the Jews took counsel to kill him: 24 But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. 25 Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket, (2 Cor.11:33). 26 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed [attempted] to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple.

Why were they afraid of Saul?

Remember, this is approx. 38AD - 39AD. There was no instant communication; no mobile phones, no internet and television news broadcasts. The disciples in Jerusalem did not know about the conversion of Saul.

• They probably remembered his former violence against the Jewish believers and had suspicion that this might be a trap.
  
  
• Though Saul had been absent three years, they would naturally retain much of their old feelings toward him. The human mind does not easily abandon suspicion or open itself at once to confidence. Confidence is a plant of slow growth. It does not blossom to sudden profession (words), but gains strength through building trust and a living testimony.

Acts 9:27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he [Saul] had seen the Lord in the way, and that he [the Lord] had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

Barnabas was from Cyprus, (see Acts 4:36), not far from Tarsus, and it is not improbable that he had been acquainted with Saul and knew him better than the apostles who were in Jerusalem.

Acts 9:28 And he [Saul] was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.

Moving about freely, conversing, and associating with Peter and James for fifteen days, (see Gal.1:18).

Acts 9:29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.

Grecians? These were Jews who had adopted the language and customs of the Greeks. At this time in scripture there were two classes of Jews; those who remained in Palestine, who used the Hebrew language, and who were appropriately called "Hebrews"; and those who were scattered among the Gentiles, who spoke the Greek language, and who used in their synagogues the Greek translation of the Old Testament, called the Septuagint. These were called "Hellenists," or, as it is in our KJV translation, "Grecians". These mentioned here are not those who were proselyted from Gentiles, but those of Jewish origin who were not natives of Judea. Disagreements would often arise between these two classes of persons (see Acts 6:1). The Jews of Palestine would pride themselves much on the fact that they dwelt in the land of the patriarchs [fathers] and the land of promise; that they used the language which their fathers spoke, and in which the oracles of God were given (Rom.3:2; Rom.9:4-5); and that they were constantly near the temple, and regularly engaged in its rites and ceremonies. On the other hand, the Jews from other parts of the world would be suspicious, jealous, and envious of their brethren, and would be likely to accuse them of bias and prejudice. There was an exposed rift of intolerance between these classes.

Acts 9:30 Which when the brethren knew [about the death threats], they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

Saul's life was again in danger, so he was accompanied out of Jerusalem, down towards Caesarea, a busy seaport, where he was (probably) sent via ship to Tarsus.

Acts 9:31 Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

These are the Jewish assemblies, the little flock, those who believe in Christ as their Messiah through the Kingdom gospel and were practicing the law.

¹ Paul's Background

Paul was 'divinely' chosen by the Lord for this ministry and apostleship. Besides the fact that the Lord separated Paul from Jerusalem and the doctrine that come our of 'her', it can also be interpreted that the  Lord had planned Paul's life from his natural mother's womb, combining a very specific set of life circumstances to provide Paul the tools, the experience, and the circumstances to uniquely qualify him for this calling; being a Jew and a Roman citizen, speaking multiple languages and having being exposed to the mainstream cultures of the world at that time.

The Apostle Paul gives us a little insight into his background in,

Philippians 3:5-6, "Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless."

• From this we learn that Paul was circumcised when he was eight days old. This shows us that Paul's parents were obedient to the law for Genesis 17:12 says, "And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you…"
  
  
• He was from the stock of Israel which means he was from the patriarch Israel, or Jacob; showing he was able to trace his genealogy back as far as any Jew could.
  
  
• Paul was from the tribe of Benjamin. Benjamin was one of the two tribes which remained when the ten tribes revolted under King Jeroboam.  With the tribe of Judah, it always maintained its allegiance to God.  This points out that Paul was not from the tribes of Israel that had rebelled.
  
  
• Paul was a 'Hebrew of the Hebrews'. That's a term showing that both his mother and father were Hebrews.  Although Paul was born in Tarsus, a Greek city (Acts 21:39), he came from pure Hebrew stock.  The term "Hebrew" predates the term "Israelite" (Abraham was the first one called a Hebrew in Genesis 14:13), however, Hebrew, Israelite, and Jew are all considered to be synonymous.
  
  
• Paul was also a Pharisee which was the strictest sect of the Jewish religion. Paul said in Acts 26:5, "…after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee."
  
  

Was Paul a Roman or a Jew? 

Actually, he was both.  Let's read,

Acts 22:25-28, "And as they bound him with thongs, Paul said unto the centurion that stood by, Is it lawful for you to scourge a man that is a Roman, and uncondemned? When the centurion heard that, he went and told the chief captain, saying, Take heed what thou doest: for this man is a Roman. Then the chief captain came, and said unto him, Tell me, art thou a Roman? He said, Yea. And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born."

There was great advantage in that day to being a Roman citizen.  The text shows us that Roman citizenship could be bought.  The chief captain said, "With a great sum I obtained this freedom."  He was speaking of the freedom of Roman citizenship.  Paul replied that he was 'free born'.  

There are a couple of thoughts on how Paul, an Israelite could be born with the rights of Roman citizenship without purchasing it.

• One thought is that because Paul was actually born in Rome, he had the rights of a Roman citizen.  This is common today.  If an American is born in a foreign country, he is a natural citizen of both countries, so this could explain Paul's words.
  
  
• Another thought is that Paul's parents, or someone in Paul's lineage had purchased citizenship for his family and descendants.  Either one of these thoughts show us how Paul could be a Hebrew, an Israelite, a Jew, and yet be a Roman citizen.  As to the identity of Paul's father, we have no record of that.

With all we know about Paul, we can see that he was destined to be a great leader of the Jews.  He was faithful to the Pharisee sect.  He had Roman citizenship.  He had a good Jewish pedigree.  But, as a believer on the Lord Jesus Christ, all that meant nothing to him (see Phil.3:8).

(See the video of this lesson here.)