Verse of the Day

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Pastor's Sermon Notes: You Can Take His Word For It, Subtitle: A Reminder From the Lord Jesus (Acts 20:35)

You Can Take His Word For It
Subtitle: A Reminder From the Lord Jesus

Acts 20:35


I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Introduction:

This season is usually seen as one for giving of gifts, but in reality there is no season that is not a season for giving in the Christian life.

Outline:

I. Consider the Support (the Example) - A Coordinate Blessing: “…to give…to receive”
II. Consider the Source - A Christian Blessing: “He said”
III. Consider the Statement - A Comparative Blessing: “more”

Transition: 

The seriousness of this statement cannot be overemphasized, and its impact must not be missed, since this conclusion to this unique sermon are Paul’s final words to the elders from Ephesus.

I. Consider the Support (the Example) - A Coordinate Blessing: “…to give…to receive”

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak

1. The pattern of Paul
2. The model for ministry

1. The pattern of Paul

Acts 20:33-34 - 33 I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. 34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

2 Corinthians 11:7-9 - 7  Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? 8 I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. 9 And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.

Ephesians 4:28 - Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

2. The model for ministry

Isaiah 1:23 - Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.

John 2:16 - And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise.

Luke 16:13-14 - 13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

2 Peter 2:1-3 - 1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

II. Consider the Source - A Christian Blessing: “He said”

and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said

1. The logos of the Lord
2. The acknowledgment of authority

1. The logos of the Lord

This is referred to as an alogon or agrapha

 “This is the only direct quote from Jesus’ earthly ministry recorded outside the gospels.”
- MacArthur Study Bible, pg. 1673.[1]

“… that's probably one of the most interesting little quotes in all the Bible.”
- John MacArthur, “A Charge to New Testament Church Leaders, Part 2” (Acts 20:29-38; preached 26 MAY 1974), sermon 1780 on Grace to You at  http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/1780/a-charge-to-new-testament-church-leaders-part-2 [accessed 19 DEC 2014].

Matthew 10:8 - Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Luke 6:38 - Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (cp. vv. 30-38)

(1 Cor. 7:10, 12, 25; 9:14; 1 Tim. 6:3)

John 21:25 - And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

2. The acknowledgment of authority

We sing: “It is enough that Jesus died, and that He died for me!”

Ask yourself:

Is it enough for you that the Apostle spoke, and does he speak to you?

Is it enough that it is written, written in the Word of God, and does that settle it for you?

III. Consider the Statement - A Comparative Blessing: “more”

It is more blessed to give than to receive

1. The reality of receiving
2. The godliness of giving

1. The reality of receiving[2]

John 1:16 - And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

1 Corinthians 4:7 - For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

2 Corinthians 8:15 - As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack. (Exodus 16:18)

1 Peter 4:10 - As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

This must not be divorced from verse 32 - And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

“The last thing Paul is doing as he ends this message is just what he said he was doing: he is committing them to the Word of grace.”
- John Piper, “I Entrust You to God and to the Word of His Grace” (Acts 20:32-35; preached 30 APR 1989), on desiring God at http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/i-entrust-you-to-god-and-to-the-word-of-his-grace [19 DEC 2014].

“Paul had begun his address by listing the qualities of his own ministry as an example for the Ephesian leaders to follow. He concluded with a final quality he had sought to model. Perhaps he held it off to the end because he saw it as the most essential of all for a legitimate ministry.”
- John B. Polhill, Acts, Vol. 26 in The New American Commentary, gen. ed. David S. Dockery (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publishers, 1992), pg. 430.

2. The godliness of giving

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

2 Corinthians 9:15 - Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

James 1:17 - Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

God is the Great Giver.

Luke 11:9-13 - 9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Romans 5:15-18 - 15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

No one has ever given like the Lord Jesus Christ, the blessed Son of God.

John 4:10 - Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

2 Corinthians 8:9 - For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Ephesians 4:7-8 - 7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Conclusion:

Luke 18:18-30 - 18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. 20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. 21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. 22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. 23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. 24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. 26 And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? 27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God. 28 Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. 29 And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, 30 Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.

It is more blessed to give than to receive

…remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Not just this season, but as a way of life in Christ by His grace.

Remember His words, and seek His blessing.

Complete outline:

I. Consider the Support (the Example) - A Coordinate Blessing: “…to give…to receive”

1. The pattern of Paul

2. The model for ministry

II. Consider the Source - A Christian Blessing: “He said”

1. The logos of the Lord

2. The acknowledgment of authority

III. Consider the Statement - A Comparative Blessing: “more”

1. The reality of receiving

2. The godliness of giving

[Sermon preached 21 DEC 2014 by Pastor John T. “Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown, PA.]

Appendix 1 - Non-canonical Sources for Comparison:

Sirach 4:31 - Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldest repay.

“The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus,” in The Apocrypha, according to the Authorized Version (Oxford: Oxford University Press, n.d.), pp. 97-98, s.v. 4:31; on The Official King James Bible Online at http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ecclesiasticus-Chapter-4/ [accessed 20 DEC 2014].

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Didache 1:5 - "Give to everybody who begs from you, and ask for no return."480 For the Father wants his own gifts to be universally shared. Happy is the man who gives as the commandment bids him, for he is guiltless! But alas for the man who receives! If he receives because he is in need, he will be guiltless. But if he is not in need he will have to stand trial why he received and for what purpose. He will be thrown into prison and have his action investigated; and "he will not get out until he has paid back the last cent."481

Note 480: Ibid. (Lk. 6:30)
Note 481: Mt. 5:26. “This whole section 5 should be compared with Hermas, Mand. 2:4–7, on which it is apparently dependent.”

“The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles, Commonly Called the Didache,” in Early Christian Fathers, trans. and ed. Cyril C. Richardson, Vol. 1 in The Library of Christian Classics, gen. eds. John Baillie, John T. McNeill, and Henry P. Van Dusen (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1953), pp. 171-172, s.v. 1:5; on Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/richardson/fathers.viii.i.iii.html [accessed 20 DEC 2014].

Didache 4:5 - “Do not be one who holds his hand out to take, but shuts it when it comes to giving.”

Op. cit., pg. 173, s.v. 4:5.

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Hermas, Mandates 2:4-7 -
“4 But clothe thyself in reverence, wherein is no evil stumbling-block, but all things are smooth and gladsome. Work that which is good, and of thy labors, which God giveth thee, give to all that are in want freely, not questioning to whom thou shalt give, and to whom thou shalt not give. Give to all; for to all God desireth that there should be given of His own bounties.
5 They then that receive shall render an account to God why they received it, and to what end; for they that receive in distress shall not be judged, but they that receive by false pretence shall pay the penalty.
6 He then that giveth is guiltless; for as he received from the Lord the ministration to perform it, he hath performed it in sincerity, by making no distinction to whom to give or not to give. This ministration then, when sincerely performed, becomes glorious in the sight of God. He therefore that ministereth thus sincerely shall live unto God.
7 Therefore keep this commandment, as I have told thee, that thine own repentance and that of thy household may be found to be sincere, and [thy] heart pure and undefiled.”

The Shepherd of Hermas, trans. J. B. Lightfoot, s.v. Mandate 2:4-7; on Early Christian Writings at http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/shepherd-lightfoot.html [accessed 20 DEC 2014].

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1 Clement 2:1 - “And ye were all lowly in mind and free from arrogance, yielding rather than claiming submission, more glad to give than to receive, and content with the provisions which God supplieth. And giving heed unto His words, ye laid them up diligently in your hearts, and His sufferings were before your eyes.”

 “The First Epistle Of Clement To The Corinthians,” trans. J.B. Lightfoot, s.v. 2:1; on Early Christian Writings at http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/1clement-lightfoot.html [accessed 20 DEC 2014].

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Thucydides, Peloponnesian War, 2:97:4 -  “For they had a custom, which also was general to all Thrace contrary to that of the kingdom of Persia, to receive rather than to give; and it was there a greater shame to be asked and deny than to ask and go without. Nevertheless they held this custom long by reason of their power, for without gifts there was nothing to be gotten done amongst them. So that this kingdom arrived thereby to great power.”

Thucydides, “The History of the Grecian War,” trans. Thomas Hobbes, Part I, in The English works of Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury, 11 vols., ed. William Molesworth (London: John Bohn, 1843), Vol. 8, pg. 261, s.v. 2:97; on the Online Library of Liberty at http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/771#lf0051-08_label_685 [accessed 20 DEC 2014].

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“ARTAXERXES.  Artaxerxes, the son of Xerxes, surnamed Longimanus (or Long-hand) because he had one hand longer than the other, said, it was more princely to add than to take away.
He first gave leave to those that hunted with him, if they would and saw occasion, to throw their darts before him.
He also first ordained that punishment for his nobles who had offended, that they should be stripped and their garments scourged instead of their bodies ; and whereas then, hair should have been plucked out, that the same should be done to their turbans.
When Satibarzanes, his chamberlain, petitioned him in an unjust matter, and he understood he did it to gain thirty thousand darics,  he ordered his treasurer to bring the said sum, and gave them to him, saying: O Satibarzanes ! take it ; for when I have given you this, I shall not be poorer, but it had been more unjust if I had granted your petition.

“PTOLEMAEUS. Ptolemaeus, the son of Lagus, frequently supped with his friends and lay at their houses; and if at any time he invited them to supper, he made use of their furniture, sending for vessels, carpets, and tables; for he himself had only things that were of constant use about him, saying it was more becoming a king to make others rich than to be rich himself.”

Plutarch, “The Apophthegms or Remarkable Sayings of Kings and Great Commanders” (Βασιλέων ἀποφθέγματα καὶ στρατηγών, Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata), trans. E. Hinton, in Plutarch’s Morals, 5 vols. trans. by several hands, rev. William W. Goodwin (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., 1878); and Vol. 1, pp. 188, 203, on the Online Library of Liberty at http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/1211#Plutarch_0062-01_406 and http://oll.libertyfund.org/titles/1211#Plutarch_0062-01_431 respectively [accessed 20 DEC 2014]; also s.v. 173D (Artaxerxes I), and 181F (Ptolemy Son of Lagus), III:15 on Attalus at http://www.attalus.org/old/sayings1.html [accessed 20 DEC 2014]

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Seneca, Moral Epistles, 81:17 - “To sum up, the matter stands thus: the good man will be easy-going in striking a balance; he will allow too much to be set against his credit. He will be unwilling to pay a benefit by balancing the injury against it. The side towards which he will lean, the tendency which he will exhibit, is the desire to be under obligations for the favour, and the desire to make return therefor. For anyone who receives a benefit more gladly than he repays it is mistaken. By as much as he who pays is more light-hearted than he who borrows, by so much ought he to be more joyful who unburdens himself of the greatest debt – a benefit received – than he who incurs the greatest obligations.”

Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Moral Epistles, trans. Richard M. Gummere, 3 vols., The Loeb Classical Library (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1917-1925), Vol. II, 81:17; on The Stoic Legacy to the Renaissance at http://www.stoics.com/seneca_epistles_book_2.html#‘LXXXI1 [accessed 20 DEC 2014].
Note: This entire epistle of Seneca is relevant as context for this paragraph.

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For further information on these non-canonical sources and their possible significance for this agrapha of Christ see:

L. T. Johnson, The Acts of the Apostles, Sacra Pagina 5 (Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1992), pg. 365; referenced by Darrell L. Bock, Acts, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert W. Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), pg. 632, note 3.

Kirsopp Lake and Henry J. Cadbury, The Acts of the Apostles: English Translation and Commentary, Vol. 4 in The Beginnings of Christianity, Part I, 5 vols., eds. F. J. Foakes-Jackson and Kirsopp Lake (London: Macmillan, 1920-1933); referenced by F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951, 1952), pg. 383.

B. Witherington III, The Acts of the Apostles: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998), pg. 626, referenced by David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, in The Pillar New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009), pg. 573, note 80.

Appendix 2 - Selected Sermons:

S. Lewis Johnson, “The Integrity of Paul’s Ministry: Part III” (Acts 20:32-38), on SLJ Institute at https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/sljinstitute/new_testament/Acts/46_SLJ_Acts.pdf [accessed 19 DEC 2014].

John MacArthur, “A Charge to New Testament Church Leaders, Part 2” (Acts 20:29-38; preached 26 MAY 1974), sermon 1780 on Grace to You at  http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/1780/a-charge-to-new-testament-church-leaders-part-2 [accessed 19 DEC 2014].

John Piper, “I Entrust You to God and to the Word of His Grace” (Acts 20:32-35; preached 30 APR 1989), on desiring God at http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/i-entrust-you-to-god-and-to-the-word-of-his-grace [19 DEC 2014].

Appendix 3 - Journal Articles:

R. Balgarnie, “Acts xx.35,” Expository Times 19:11 (AUG 1908), ed. James Hastings (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, n.d.), pp. 522-523; on Hathi Trust Digital Library at http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015013750412;view=1up;seq=5 [accessed 20 DEC 2014].

Richard Roberts, “The Beatitude of Giving and Receiving,” Expository Times 48:10 (JUL 1937), pp.  438-441.

David Michael Stanley, “Pauline Allusions to the Sayings of Jesus,” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 23:1 (JAN 1961), pp. 26-39.

R. V. G. Tasker, “St Paul and the Earthly Life of Jesus: A Study in the Second Epistle to the Corinthians,” The Expository Times 46:12 (SEP 1935), pp. 557-562.

Appendix 4 - Resources on the Sermons in Acts:

F. F. Bruce, The Speeches in the Acts of the Apostles (London: The Tyndale Press, 1942); on Biblical Studies at http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/speeches_bruce.pdf [accessed 8 FEB 2013].[3]

F. F. Bruce, “The Speeches In Acts―Thirty Years After,” Robert Banks, ed., Reconciliation and
Hope. New Testament Essays on Atonement and Eschatology Presented to L.L. Morris on his 60th
Birthday (Carlisle: The Paternoster Press, 1974), pp. 53-68; on Biblical Studies at http://www.biblicalstudies.org.uk/pdf/rh/acts_bruce.pdf [accessed 8 FEB 2013].

Colin J. Hemer, “The Speeches of Acts,” Tyndale Bulletin 40:1 (NA 1989), pp. 77-85.

Simon J. Kistemaker, “The Speeches In Acts,” Criswell Theological Review 5:1 (1990), pp. 31-41; on Theodore Hildebrandt’s “Biblical eSources,” on Gordon Faculty Online at  https://faculty.gordon.edu/hu/bi/ted_hildebrandt/ntesources/ntarticles/ctr-nt/kistemaker-speechesacts-ctr.pdf [accessed 27 AUG 2014].

William L. Lane, "The Speeches of the Book of Acts", in Jerusalem and Athens: Critical Discussions on the Philosophy and Apologetics of Cornelius Van Til, ed. E. R. Geehan (Phillipsburg, NJ:  Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1971), pp. 260-272, Ch. XIII, notes on pp. 473-477.

Appendix 5 - Resources on Acts:

G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, eds., Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), pp. 513-606.

Paul Barnett, The Birth of Christianity: The First Twenty Years, After Jesus, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005).

Darrell L. Bock, Acts, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert W. Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007).
                                                  
F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951, 1952).

Dennis E. Johnson, The Message of Acts in the History of Redemption (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1997).

I. Howard Marshall, Acts: An Introduction And Commentary, Vol. 5 in Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. Leon Morris (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980; 2008 reprint).

David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, in The Pillar New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009).

John B. Polhill, Acts, Vol. 26 in The New American Commentary, gen. ed. David S. Dockery (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publishers, 1992).

Eckhard J. Schnabel, Acts, Vol. 5 in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, gen. ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012).

W. C. van Unnik, “The ‘Book of Acts’ the Confirmation of the Gospel,” in Novum Testamentum 4:1 (OCT 1960), pp. 26-59; reprinted in The Composition of Luke’s Gospel: Selected Studies from Novum Testamentum, compiled by David E. Orton, Vol. 1 of Brill’s Readers in Biblical Studies (Leiden: Brill, 1999), pp. 184-218.

William H. Willimon, Acts, in Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, series ed. James Luther Mays, New Testament ed. Paul J. Achtemeier (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010).

Appendix 6 - Resources on Paul:

Kenneth E. Bailey, Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes: Cultural Studies in 1 Corinthians  (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2011).

F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977).

D. A. Carson, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), pp. 496-501.

W. J. Conybeare and J. S. Howson, The Life, Times and Travels of St. Paul, 2 vols. in 1, unabridged American ed. (New York: E. B. Treat U Co., 1869); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=Bn1CAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 12 FEB 2013].

Adolf Deissmann, Paul: A Study in Social and Religious History, 2nd ed., trans. William E. Wilson (New York: Harper Torchbooks, n.d.).

F. W. Farrar, The Life and Work of St. Paul (New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1889); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=RB2KeCSM6KsC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 12 FEB 2013].

Bruce N. Fisk, “Paul: Life and Letters”, in The Face of New Testament Studies: A Survey of Recent Research, ed. Scot McKnight and Grant R. Osborne (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), pp. 283-325.

Richard B.Gaffin, Jr., "Acts and Paul", 46 lectures (MP3 format), WTS Resources Media Center on Westminster Theological Seminary at http://wts.edu/resources/media.html?paramType=audio&filterTopic=5&filterSpeaker=10&filterYear=2005 [accessed 20 MAR 2013].

Frank J. Goodwin, A Harmony of the Life of the St. Paul According to the Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline Epistles (New York: American Tract Society, 1895); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=YgpEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 12 FEB 2013].

Richard N. Longenecker, The Ministry And Message Of Paul (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971).

Richard N. Longenecker, Paul, Apostle Of Liberty (New York: Harper & Row, 1964).

Richard N. Longenecker, ed., The Road From Damascus : The Impact Of Paul's Conversion On His Life, Thought, And Ministry (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).

Richard N. Longenecker, Studies In Paul, Exegetical And Theological (Sheffield : Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2004).

J. Gresham Machen, The Origin of Paul's Religion: The James Sprunt Lectures Delivered at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1925).

Leon Morris, The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1955).

John Pollock, The Apostle: A Life of Paul, 3rd ed. (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 1969, 2012); also published as The Man Who Shook the World (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1972; originally The Apostle: A Life of Paul, New York: Doubleday, 1969).

Stanley E. Porter, Paul in Acts, in Library of Pauline Studies, gen. ed. Stanley E. Porter (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1999; 2001 reprint of The Paul of Acts: Essays in Literary Criticism, Rhetoric and Theology, in Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 115, by Mohr Siebeck, Tubingen).

W. M. Ramsay, The Cities of St. Paul: Their Influence on his Life and Thought (New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son; London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1908); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=JryEbmKool0C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 13 FEB 2013].

W. M. Ramsay, Pauline and Other Studies in Early Christian History (New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son, 1906); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=-1ZJAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 13 FEB 2013].

W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen, 10th ed. (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1907); on Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/ramsay/paul_roman.html [accessed 13 FEB 2013].

W. M. Ramsay, The Teaching of Paul in terms of The Present Day: The Deems Lectures in New York University (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1914); on Internet Archive at http://ia600404.us.archive.org/2/items/teachingofpaulin00rams/teachingofpaulin00rams.pdf [accessed 13 FEB 2013].

A. T. Robertson, Epochs in the Life of Paul: A Study of Development in Paul's Character (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974).

Eckhard J. Schnabel, Paul The Missionary: Realities, Strategies And Methods (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008).

Udo Schnelle, Apostle Paul: His Life and Theology, trans. M. Eugene Boring (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003; trans. from Paulus: Leben und Denken, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co., n.d.).

Thomas R. Schreiner, Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2001).

James Stalker, The Life of St. Paul, (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1885; rev. ed. 2010 by Kessinger Publishing from 1912 ed.); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=vT0HAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 7 FEB 2013].

James Ironside Still, St. Paul on Trial (London: Student Christian Movement, 1923).





End Notes:

[1] See also the following for recognition of the uniqueness of this quote:

“This is one of the few places outside the Gospels where Jesus is directly quoted.”
“Suggestions that an outside saying has been put into Jesus’s mouth ignore the fact that the emphasis is on not only the origin of what is said but also the affirmation of its content, which is what Paul is pointing to here.” Darrell L. Bock, Acts, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert W. Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), pg. 632.

 “…this saying is not recorded in any of the Gospels…” David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, in The Pillar New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009), pg. 573, note 80.

 “Paul quotes a word of Jesus not found in the gospel tradition, but a word that they know and must remember…” Eckhard J. Schnabel, Acts, Vol. 5 in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, gen. ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012), pg. 852.

 “It is striking that this logion is not included among Jesus’ sayings in the four Gospels.” John B. Polhill, Acts, Vol. 26 in The New American Commentary, gen. ed. David S. Dockery (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publishers, 1992), pg. 429, note 94.

 “Interestingly, these exact words are not found in the gospels. Paul must have known of this saying from some other source.NET Bible on Lumina at https://lumina.bible.org/bible/Acts+20 [accessed 15 DEC 2014].

“… it has no parallel in the Gospels.” Colin J. Hemer, “The Speeches of Acts,” Tyndale Bulletin 40:1 (NA 1989), pp. 82-83 (pp. 77-85).

“…not recorded in the Gospels” ESV Study Bible, pg. 2130, note.

[2] “The logic of the comparative translated as “more” (mãllon) must not be pressed.107

Note 107: “Both the exclusive interpretation (giving is blessed, not receiving) and the strictly logical comparative interpretation (those who give are more blessed than those who receive) are hardly correct. The saying addresses those for whom both giving and receiving is an option, and they are told that they will be more content when they give than when they receive; cf. Barrett, Acts, 983. The saying does not assert that people who have no choice but to receive do not receive God’s blessing.”

“Paul’s reminder of Jesus’ word about giving breaks the cycle of the Greco-Roman principle of reciprocity, which describes the practice of voluntary requital.” Eckhard J. Schnabel, Acts, Vol. 5 in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, gen. ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012), pg. 852.

“…this saying is not recorded in any of the Gospels….this saying, together with Paul’s example, challenged the principle of reciprocity which was so prevalent in the Greco-Roman world: here was a challenge to serve and help those who could give nothing in return.” David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, in The Pillar New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009), pg. 573, note 80.

[3] “This was delivered as The Tyndale New Testament Lecture 19 DEC 1942 at a Conference of graduate and theological student members of the Inter-Varsity Fellowship in Wadham College, Oxford.”

Monday, December 22, 2014

Pastor's Sermon Notes: Paul’s Farewell Sermon to the Ephesian Elders, Part 1 (Acts 20:13-31)

Paul’s Farewell Sermon to the Ephesian Elders, Part 1
Acts 20:13-31


13 And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot. 14 And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene. 15 And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. 17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church. 18 And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, 19 Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: 20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, 21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: 23 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. 24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. 25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. 26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Introduction:

We have reminded often concerning the transitional nature of the historical narrative encountered in the book of Acts. This is the foundational period in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ. Some aspects of the contents of this book must be discerned as not having direct application to the subsequent periods of the Church. This episode is not one of them. Just as in the book of Revelation when observation was made that the Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia in chapters two and three are the most directly applicable portions of the New Testament to us today, even so does Paul’s final sermon at Miletus to the Ephesian Elders in Acts 20 stand as one of the portions of this book that we should consider as having direct application to us today without qualification.

Outline:

I. The Journey - from Troas to Miletus (20:13-17)
II. The Sermon, Part 1 (20:18-31)

Transition:  Now begins Paul’s conclusion of what has been referred to as his third missionary journey, which will terminate in Jerusalem and usher in the end of the book with Paul in Rome.

I. The Journey - from Troas to Miletus (20:13-17)

13 And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot. 14 And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene. 15 And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus. 16 For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost. 17 And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.

The most significant aspect of this voyage is where Paul did not go.

1. The Separate Teams Reunited at Mitylene (20:13-14)
2. The Journey from Mitylene to Miletus (20:15)
3. The Reason for Bypassing Ephesus (20:16)
4. The Call for the Elders at Miletus (20:17)

1. The Separate Teams Reunited at Mitylene (20:13-14)

13 And we went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in Paul: for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot. 14 And when he met with us at Assos, we took him in, and came to Mitylene.

2. The Journey from Mitylene to Miletus (20:15)

And we sailed thence, and came the next day over against Chios; and the next day we arrived at Samos, and tarried at Trogyllium; and the next day we came to Miletus.

3. The Reason for Bypassing Ephesus (20:16)

For Paul had determined to sail by Ephesus, because he would not spend the time in Asia: for he hasted, if it were possible for him, to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost.

This must have been very hard for Paul to do, but verse 22 explains why he resisted the temptation. He had already invested a lot of time in Ephesus, and now had other priorities that precluded any more delay than he already had due to the attempted ambush by the Jews in Greece.  The content of the sermon to follow makes clear that he could leave with a clear conscience, and with the church there in the capable hands of trained and trusted elders.

4. The Call for the Elders at Miletus (20:17)

And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.[1]

This is a very significant event, perhaps more so than many readers of Acts realize. One point that must be insisted on is that he did not call for the apostles, nor the apostles and elders. Here is the Great Apostle handing off the baton of ministry, and the responsibility for the well-being of the church to the elders. The only record of a mix of apostles and elders in a church in Acts was at Jerusalem in chapter 15 (verses 2, 4, 6, 22, and 23), and the reference to the subsequent delivery in 16:4. There are no accounts of any ordaining of apostles in every church coordinate with that of the ordination of “elders in every church” (14:23). And in 11:30, and 21:18 it is only the elders who are mentioned. It must be made clear, maintained and insisted on in the face of wide spread false teaching that the apostolic office was: 1) historically unique to the first century, and to this foundation period of the Church, and 2) personally unique being held only by the immediate associates and successors of Jesus Christ Himself.

With that in mind this event must be viewed as a historical “hinge” moment in the history of the Church. The Apostle to the Gentiles is leaving, never to return. He has fulfilled his mission. It is now for the elders then, and in all subsequent centuries to carry on, and fulfill theirs by building on the foundation Paul laid.

II. The Sermon, Part 1 (20:18-31)

1. The Introduction - The Summary of Paul’s Ministry in Asia (20:18-21)
2. The Testimony - The Essence of Paul’s Ministry (20:22-24)
3. The Record - The Fulfillment of Paul’s Ministry (20:25-27)
4. The Warning - The Legacy of Paul’s Ministry (20:28-31)

1. The Introduction - The Summary of Paul’s Ministry in Asia (20:18-21)

 18 And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, 19 Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews: 20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, 21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

1) Paul’s Personal Example (20:18-19)
2) Paul’s Profitable Preaching (20:20-21)

1) Paul’s Personal Example (20:18-19)

18 And when they were come to him, he said unto them, Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, 19 Serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:

(1) When - from the first day…at all seasons

(2) How - humbly, tearfully, in the face of opposition

            tears - also verse 31, and weeping in verse 37
            This entire episode is loaded with emotion.

2) Paul’s Profitable Preaching (20:20-21)

20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house, 21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

(1) What - in a general and negative sense concerning his intent

(2) Where - publicly and privately

(3) Who - Jews and Gentiles

(4) What - in a specific sense concerning the content

Woven throughout this sermon are the following characterizations of the content of Paul’s ministry:

repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ (20:21)

the gospel of the grace of God (20:24)

the kingdom of God (20:25)

all the counsel of God (20:27)

the word of his grace (20:32)

These characterizations all refer to the same thing viewed from different aspects in various contexts which contain bases for why that description is used at that point.

Keep this in mind as we continue through the rest of this sermon.

2. The Testimony - The Essence of Paul’s Ministry (20:22-24)

 22 And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: 23 Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me. 24 But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

The predominant theme here is bondage.

1) Bound in the spirit into the Face of Uncertainty (20:22)
2) Taught by the Spirit of Bondage to Come (20:23)
3) Perseverance to the Finish Line beyond Trials and Death (20:24)

1) Bound in the spirit into the Face of Uncertainty (20:22)

And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there

lower case “s” in “spirit” - KJV, HCSB
upper case “S” in “Spirit” - NASB, ESV, NIV, NLT

2) Taught by the Spirit of Bondage to Come (20:23)

Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.[2]

3) Perseverance to the Finish Line beyond Trials and Death (20:24)

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

3. The Record - The Fulfillment of Paul’s Ministry (20:25-27)

 25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. 26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

There is a very personal tone to these words, as elsewhere throughout this sermon.

1) Preaching the Kingdom of God (20:25)
2) Pure from the Blood of All Men (20:26)
3) Proclaiming the Counsel of God (20:27)

1) Preaching the Kingdom of God (20:25)

And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.

            Compare 20:21

2) Pure from the Blood of All Men (20:26)

Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.

3) Proclaiming the Counsel of God (20:27)

For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

counsel (KJV, ESV) - “purpose” (NASB), “plan” (HCSB), “will” (NIV)

Compare 20:21

4. The Warning - The Legacy of Paul’s Ministry (20:28-31)

 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Notice should be taken in these verses of the sermon of the temporal movement from past history throught the present to the future.

1) The Primary Charge - Paul’s Present Stipulations: Feed the Church of God (20:28)
2) The Prophetic Basis for the Warnings - Paul’s Future Vision:
3) The Personal Reminder - Paul’s Historical Example: Vigilance is Called For Always (20:31)

1) The Primary Charge - Paul’s Present Stipulations: Feed the Church of God (20:28)

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

            There is a repeated emphasis here on the church as the flock.

purchased - “obtained”[3]

This final affirmation must be considered by defining what is meant by the church of God in light of what follows in the next two verses, and especially in verse 30.

2) The Prophetic Basis for the Warnings - Paul’s Future Vision:

(1) Wolves will Come from Without (20:29)

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

            grievous - “savage” (NASB, HCSB, NIV), “fierce” (ESV), “vicious” (NLT)

            What does this mean for the sheep? In other words, what is the basis for this          characterization of the “wolves” as grievous?

(2) False Shepherds will Divide from Within (20:30)

Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

                        perverse (KJV, NASB) - “twisted” (ESV), “deviant” (HCSB),
                        “distort” (NIV, NLT)

                        What makes the teaching of these “sheep stealers” perverse?

3) The Personal Reminder - Paul’s Historical Example: Vigilance is Called For Always (20:31)

Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

Conclusion:

Complete outline:

I. The Journey - from Troas to Miletus (20:13-17)

1. The Separate Teams Reunited at Mitylene (20:13-14)

2. The Journey from Mitylene to Miletus (20:15)

3. The Reason for Bypassing Ephesus (20:16)

4. The Call for the Elders at Miletus (20:17)

II. The Sermon, Part 1 (20:18-31)

1. The Introduction - The Summary of Paul’s Ministry in Asia (20:18-21)

1) Paul’s Personal Example (20:18-19)

2) Paul’s Profitable Preaching (20:20-21)

2. The Testimony - The Essence of Paul’s Ministry (20:22-24)

1) Bound in the spirit into the Face of Uncertainty (20:22)

2) Taught by the Spirit of Bondage to Come (20:23)

3) Perseverance to the Finish Line beyond Trials and Death (20:24)

3. The Record - The Fulfillment of Paul’s Ministry (20:25-27)

1) Preaching the Kingdom of God (20:25)

2) Pure from the Blood of All Men (20:26)

3) Proclaiming the Counsel of God (20:27)

4. The Warning - The Legacy of Paul’s Ministry (20:28-31)

1) The Primary Charge - Paul’s Present Stipulations: Feed the Church of God (20:28)

2) The Prophetic Basis for the Warnings - Paul’s Future Vision:

(1) Wolves will Come from Without (20:29)

(2) False Shepherds will Divide from Within (20:30)

3) The Personal Reminder - Paul’s Historical Example: Vigilance is Called For Always (20:31)

[Sermon preached 14 DEC 2014 by Pastor John T. “Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown, PA.]

Sources cited in Notes:

G. K. Beale, A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2011), pp. 820-823, s.v. “Elders and Eschatological Tribulation.”

Jonathan Gibson, “The Glorious, Indivisible, Trinitarian Work of God in Christ: Definite Atonement in Paul’s Theology of Salvation,” in From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological,and Pastoral Perspective, eds. David Gibson and Jonathan Gibson (Wheaton: Crossway, 2013), pp. 331-373.

Jim Hamilton, God’s Glory in Salvation Through Judgment: A Biblical Theology (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010), pg. 437.

John Owen, “The True Nature of A Gospel Church and its Government,” (1689), in The Works of John Owen, ed. William H. Goold, 16 vols. (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1976 reprint of 1850-1853 Johnstone & Hunter ed.), 16:45, 74-96.

Thomas F. Torrance, Atonement: The Person and Work of Christ, ed. Robert T. Walker (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2009), pg. 49, note 72, and pg. 176.

Resources on Acts:

G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, eds., Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007), pp. 513-606.

Paul Barnett, The Birth of Christianity: The First Twenty Years, After Jesus, Vol. 1 (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005).

Darrell L. Bock, Acts, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, eds. Robert W. Yarbrough and Robert H. Stein (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007).
                                                  
F. F. Bruce, The Acts of the Apostles: The Greek Text with Introduction and Commentary, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951, 1952).

Dennis E. Johnson, The Message of Acts in the History of Redemption (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 1997).

I. Howard Marshall, Acts: An Introduction And Commentary, Vol. 5 in Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. Leon Morris (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1980; 2008 reprint).

David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, in The Pillar New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009).

John B. Polhill, Acts, Vol. 26 in The New American Commentary, gen. ed. David S. Dockery (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publishers, 1992).

Eckhard J. Schnabel, Acts, Vol. 5 in the Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, gen. ed. Clinton E. Arnold (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012).

W. C. van Unnik, “The ‘Book of Acts’ the Confirmation of the Gospel,” in Novum Testamentum 4:1 (OCT 1960), pp. 26-59; reprinted in The Composition of Luke’s Gospel: Selected Studies from Novum Testamentum, compiled by David E. Orton, Vol. 1 of Brill’s Readers in Biblical Studies (Leiden: Brill, 1999), pp. 184-218.

William H. Willimon, Acts, in Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, series ed. James Luther Mays, New Testament ed. Paul J. Achtemeier (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2010).

Resources on Paul:

Kenneth E. Bailey, Paul Through Mediterranean Eyes: Cultural Studies in 1 Corinthians  (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2011).

F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977).

D. A. Carson, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), pp. 496-501.

W. J. Conybeare and J. S. Howson, The Life, Times and Travels of St. Paul, 2 vols. in 1, unabridged American ed. (New York: E. B. Treat U Co., 1869); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=Bn1CAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 12 FEB 2013].

Adolf Deissmann, Paul: A Study in Social and Religious History, 2nd ed., trans. William E. Wilson (New York: Harper Torchbooks, n.d.).

F. W. Farrar, The Life and Work of St. Paul (New York: E. P. Dutton and Co., 1889); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=RB2KeCSM6KsC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 12 FEB 2013].

Bruce N. Fisk, “Paul: Life and Letters”, in The Face of New Testament Studies: A Survey of Recent Research, ed. Scot McKnight and Grant R. Osborne (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2004), pp. 283-325.

Richard B.Gaffin, Jr., "Acts and Paul", 46 lectures (MP3 format), WTS Resources Media Center on Westminster Theological Seminary at http://wts.edu/resources/media.html?paramType=audio&filterTopic=5&filterSpeaker=10&filterYear=2005 [accessed 20 MAR 2013].

Frank J. Goodwin, A Harmony of the Life of the St. Paul According to the Acts of the Apostles and the Pauline Epistles (New York: American Tract Society, 1895); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=YgpEAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 12 FEB 2013].

Richard N. Longenecker, The Ministry And Message Of Paul (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1971).

Richard N. Longenecker, Paul, Apostle Of Liberty (New York: Harper & Row, 1964).

Richard N. Longenecker, ed., The Road From Damascus : The Impact Of Paul's Conversion On His Life, Thought, And Ministry (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997).

Richard N. Longenecker, Studies In Paul, Exegetical And Theological (Sheffield : Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2004).

J. Gresham Machen, The Origin of Paul's Religion: The James Sprunt Lectures Delivered at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1925).

Leon Morris, The Apostolic Preaching of the Cross (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1955).

John Pollock, The Apostle: A Life of Paul, 3rd ed. (Colorado Springs: David C. Cook, 1969, 2012); also published as The Man Who Shook the World (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1972; originally The Apostle: A Life of Paul, New York: Doubleday, 1969).

Stanley E. Porter, Paul in Acts, in Library of Pauline Studies, gen. ed. Stanley E. Porter (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1999; 2001 reprint of The Paul of Acts: Essays in Literary Criticism, Rhetoric and Theology, in Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 115, by Mohr Siebeck, Tubingen).

W. M. Ramsay, The Cities of St. Paul: Their Influence on his Life and Thought (New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son; London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1908); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=JryEbmKool0C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 13 FEB 2013].

W. M. Ramsay, Pauline and Other Studies in Early Christian History (New York: A. C. Armstrong and Son, 1906); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=-1ZJAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 13 FEB 2013].

W. M. Ramsay, St. Paul the Traveler and the Roman Citizen, 10th ed. (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1907); on Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/ramsay/paul_roman.html [accessed 13 FEB 2013].

W. M. Ramsay, The Teaching of Paul in terms of The Present Day: The Deems Lectures in New York University (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1914); on Internet Archive at http://ia600404.us.archive.org/2/items/teachingofpaulin00rams/teachingofpaulin00rams.pdf [accessed 13 FEB 2013].

A. T. Robertson, Epochs in the Life of Paul: A Study of Development in Paul's Character (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974).

Eckhard J. Schnabel, Paul The Missionary: Realities, Strategies And Methods (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2008).

Udo Schnelle, Apostle Paul: His Life and Theology, trans. M. Eugene Boring (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003; trans. from Paulus: Leben und Denken, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co., n.d.).

Thomas R. Schreiner, Paul, Apostle of God's Glory in Christ: A Pauline Theology (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2001).

James Stalker, The Life of St. Paul, (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1885; rev. ed. 2010 by Kessinger Publishing from 1912 ed.); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=vT0HAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 7 FEB 2013].

James Ironside Still, St. Paul on Trial (London: Student Christian Movement, 1923).





End Notes:

[1] On this see John Owen, “The True Nature of A Gospel Church and its Government,” (1689), in The Works of John Owen, ed. William H. Goold, 16 vols. (Carlisle, PA: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1976 reprint of 1850-1853 Johnstone & Hunter ed.), 16:45, 74-96; and G. K. Beale, A New Testament Biblical Theology: The Unfolding of the Old Testament in the New (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2011), pp. 820-823, s.v. “Elders and Eschatological Tribulation.”

[2] On this see Jim Hamilton, God’s Glory in Salvation Through Judgment: A Biblical Theology (Wheaton: Crossway, 2010), pg. 437.

[3] On this see Thomas F. Torrance, Atonement: The Person and Work of Christ, ed. Robert T. Walker (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2009), pg. 49, note 72, and pg. 176; and Jonathan Gibson, “The Glorious, Indivisible, Trinitarian Work of God in Christ: Definite Atonement in Paul’s Theology of Salvation,” in From Heaven He Came and Sought Her: Definite Atonement in Historical, Biblical, Theological,and Pastoral Perspective, eds. David Gibson and Jonathan Gibson (Wheaton: Crossway, 2013), pp. 331-373.