From a Basket to Barnabas with Boldness
Acts 9:23-30
23 And after that
many days were fulfilled, 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. 26 And when Saul was come to
Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all
afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. 27 But
Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how
he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had
preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 And he was with
them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. 29 And he spake boldly in
the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went
about to slay him. 30 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him
down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
Introduction:
Review Acts 9:1-9 - The
End of the Road (sermon preached 8 DEC
2013)
Review Acts 9:10-22 - The
Damascus Disciple Sent to the Sightless Saul (29 DEC 2013)
“The Aftermath of
the Damascus Road Experience”, or “The Return on the Damascus Road”
The accounts of Paul’s conversion experience in Acts include
the following:
Acts 9:1-30
Acts 22:3-21
Acts 26:2-23
Outline:
I. The Basket Case - The
First Attempt on Saul’s Life (9:23-25)
II. The Barnabas Connection
- The Skeptical Saints at Jerusalem (9:26-28)
III. The Boldness
Confrontation - The Second Attempt on Saul’s Life (9:29-30)
Transition: There is a mix of rage and fear, and of
boldness and discretion in these events that
developed following the inauguration of the Apostle Paul’s ministry. This tale is also laced with truths whose
strangeness make fiction look pale by comparison. Here we have assassins, conspiracies, moles, political
intrigue, narrow escapes by unthinkable means, and underground networks that
are only the tip of the iceberg with only sparse details related in the telling
of the tale. It certainly did not take
long for the fulfillment of Christ’s words to Ananias to begin!
I. The Basket
Case - The First Attempt on Saul’s Life (9:23-25)
23 And after that
many days were fulfilled, 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.
1. The Provocative
Preaching - of Saul in the synagogues (9:19-22)
2. The Murderous
Mindset - of the Jews in Damascus (9:23, 24b)
3. The Inside
Intelligence - of the assassins’ ambush (9:24a)
4. The Walled Way
- of the old city of Damascus (9:25)
1. The Provocative
Preaching - of Saul in the synagogues (9:19-22)
As we begin we need to overlap with the previous passage
which sets the stage for and provides an explanation for what we find in our
text for today. Consider the last four
verses we considered in the previous sermon
:
Acts 9:19-22 - 19 And when he had received
meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which
were at Damascus. 20 And straightway he preached Christ in the
synagogues, that he is the Son of God. 21 But all that heard him
were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this
name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them
bound unto the chief priests? 22 But Saul increased the more in
strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is
very Christ.
2. The Murderous
Mindset - of the Jews in Damascus (9:23, 24b)
23 And after that
many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: 24….And
they watched the gates day and night to kill him.
2 Cor. 11:32 - “In Damascus the governor under Aretas
the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend
me:”
There was political power involved in the array against
Saul that included “strange bedfellows”.
The connection between:
1) the Jewish conspiracy
mentioned in Acts 9:23,
2) their round the clock gate
guard (9:24), and,
3) the military assistance of
the governor (“ethnarch”) under the king, Eneas (Aretas IV), indicates that
there was at least a shared desire to catch Saul regardless of what their
intent might once they had him for his final disposition. This was perhaps generated by a connection to
Saul’s initial years of ministry in the Arabian province of Nabatea, an area
ruled by this Aretas,
[3] where complaints about Saul’s
successful evangelism may have brought him to the ruler’s attention.
This
union of both Jewish and Arabian opponents, though so rare as to be almost
unprecedented, would be replicated in the union of Jewish and idolatrous opponents
arrayed against Saul in cities elsewhere in the Roman Empire later.
One
wonders if the very documents that Paul was carrying to Damascus authorizing
him to arrest Christians (Acts 9:1-2) were now being used against him!
3. The Inside
Intelligence - of the assassins’ ambush (9:24a)
But their laying await was known of Saul….
We are not given any details concerning how Saul learned
of this plot, including the identity of the person or persons who informed him,
how they learned of it, the extent of their knowledge of the details involved,
nor how it was communicated to Saul.
4. The Walled
Way - of the old city of Damascus (9:25)
Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by
the wall in a basket.
There is a textual issue in this verse that is the source of
the differences in the translations over whether the disciples involved in this
escape were “his disciples” or not.
Paul recounts
this incident in an epistle using a different word for “basket” (Cor.
11:33):
“And through a window in a basket
[5]
was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands
.”
Notice should
also be taken again of the correspondence of Acts to the Old Testament book of
Joshua in the light of a similar escape incident recorded in Josh. 2:15:
“Then she let them down
by a cord through the window: for her house was upon the town wall, and she
dwelt upon the wall.”
Caution is
advised by Beale and Carson in pressing this connection however:
“Although NA
27 gives
a marginal reference to the letting down of the spies from a window in the city
wall in Jericho (Josh. 2:15), an echo of this passage is most unlikely.”
[6]
Another escape
incident, perhaps even less closely linked to the account in Acts 9, is the
following concerning David (1 Sam. 19:11-17):
11 Saul
also sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the
morning: and Michal David’s wife
told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be
slain.
12 So Michal let David down through a window: and he went,
and fled, and escaped.
13 And Michal took an image, and laid
it in the bed, and put a pillow of
goats’
hair for his bolster, and
covered
it with a cloth.
14
And when Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, He
is sick.
15 And Saul sent the messengers
again to see David, saying, Bring him
up to me in the bed, that I may slay him.
16 And when the messengers
were come in, behold,
there was an
image in the bed, with a pillow of goats’
hair for his bolster.
17 And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast
thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal
answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?
The common elements in each of these escape accounts are
the following:
1) the accomplishment of the escape is by means
of being let down through a window (1 Cor. 11:33 rather than Acts 9:25);
2) the escape was effective,
3) death would have been the result of failure
in the escape attempt.
In the case of
the spies escape with the help of Rahab there are two common elements with that
of Saul:
1) The escape was effected by a
fellow believer or believers in the God of Israel (cp. Heb. 11:31; Jas. 2:25;
cp. Mt. 1:5), and,
2) The escape was effected from
a foreign city, in the one case that of Jericho, and in the other that of
Damascus.
In the case of
David’s escape there are two common elements with that of Saul (other than the
shared name with the king seeking his death!):
1) David’s escape is from a fellow
Jew, and,
2) David’s escape is from the
one wielding political power, in this case as the one who is in fact the King
of Israel.
“You've got to know when
to hold 'em
Know when to fold 'em
Know when to walk away
Know when to run”
II. The Barnabas
Connection - The Skeptical Saints at Jerusalem (9:26-28)
26 And
when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples:
but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. 27
But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them
how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he
had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 And he was
with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.
1. Saul’s Rejection
by the Church (9:26)
2. Saul’s
Introduction by Barnabas (9:27)
3. Saul’s
Acceptance by the Apostles (9:28)
1. Saul’s Rejection
by the Church (9:26)
And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join
himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not
that he was a disciple.
He returned via the Damascus Road where the Lord
confronted him to the city where he had been commissioned as the “Christian
Bounty Hunter”, and sent to Damascus.
Fear and skepticism meets him there in the company of the
disciples.
2. Saul’s
Introduction by Barnabas (9:27)
But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and
declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken
to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.
Barnabas -
frequently linked with Paul in missionary work from Acts 11:25 to their breach
over John Mark in Acts 15:39 (20 occurrences), mentioned three times in Gal. 2,
once in 1 Cor. 9, and significantly in Col. 4:10 as the uncle of John Mark.
3. Saul Acceptance
by the Apostles (9:28)
And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem.
III. The Boldness
Confrontation - The Second Attempt on Saul’s Life (9:29-30)
29 And he spake
boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but
they went about to slay him. 30 Which when the brethren knew, they
brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
1. The Strong
Testimony of Saul (9:29a-b)
2. The Hateful
Intent of the Hellenists (9:29c)
3. The Discrete
Solution of the Disciples (9:30)
1. The Strong
Testimony of Saul (9:29a-b)
And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and
disputed against the Grecians:
Grecians =
Hellenistic Jews
The omission of the name “Jesus” here in modern
translations is due to textual variants.
There is also a versification issue over whether the first clause is the
end of verse 28 or the beginning of verse 29.
Acts 26:19-23 - 19
Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: 20
But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all
the coasts of Judaea, and then to the
Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for
repentance. 21 For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple,
and went about to kill me. 22
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both
to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and
Moses did say should come: 23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that
should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the
Gentiles.
2. The Hateful
Intent of the Hellenists (9:29c)
but they went about to slay him.
3. The Discrete
Solution of the Disciples (9:30)
Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to
Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.
Conclusion:
I. The Basket Case - The First Attempt on
Saul’s Life (9:23-25)
1. The Provocative Preaching - of Saul in the
synagogues (9:19-22)
2. The Murderous Mindset - of the Jews in
Damascus (9:23, 24b)
3. The Inside Intelligence - of the assassins’
ambush (9:24a)
4. The Walled Way - of the old city of Damascus
(9:25)
II. The Barnabas Connection - The
Skeptical Saints at Jerusalem (9:26-27)
1. Saul’s Rejection by the Church (9:26)
2. Saul’s Introduction by Barnabas (9:27)
3. Saul’s Acceptance by the Apostles (9:28)
III. The Boldness Confrontation - The
Second Attempt on Saul’s Life (9:28-30)
1. The Strong Testimony of Saul (9:29a-b)
2. The Hateful Intent of the Hellenists (9:29c)
3. The Discrete Solution of the Disciples (9:30)
Acts 22:17-21 - 17 And it came to pass, that, when
I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a
trance; 18 And saw him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee
quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not receive thy testimony concerning
me. 19 And I said, Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in
every synagogue them that believed on thee: 20 And when the blood of
thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his
death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him. 21 And he said
unto me, Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
Saul did not have a martyr complex, though his boldness
would appear reckless to some. In the
end, his continual confrontations with the Jews and disputing in synagogues, would
be capped by his final return to Jerusalem.
He would be martyred, but not there.
He would join Stephen, but on the Lord’s terms and in His timing, not
Saul’s.
[Sermon preached 12
JAN 2014 by Pastor John T. “Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown,
PA.]
Commentary Resources:
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.
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).
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, 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).
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).
Pauline Biographies:
F. F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free
(Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977).
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 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).
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).
*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).
A. T. Robertson, Epochs in the Life of Paul: A Study
of Development in Paul's Character (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974).
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).
*Note: the two titles asterisked are recommended for
entry level students of the life of Paul.
The Three Parallel Accounts of Saul’s Conversion in
Acts
Acts 9:1-30;
22:3-21; and 26:4-23
I. The Background to the Conversion of Saul
Acts 9:1-2
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Acts 22:3-5
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Acts 26:4-12
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1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter
against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2
And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found
any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound
unto Jerusalem.
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3 I am verily a man
which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a
city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect
manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are
this day. 4 And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and
delivering into prisons both men and women. 5 As also the high
priest doth bear me witness, and all the estate of the elders: from whom also
I received letters unto the brethren, and went to Damascus, to bring them
which were there bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished.
|
4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first
among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; 5 Which
knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most
straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. 6 And now I
stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers:
7 Unto which promise our
twelve tribes, instantly serving God
day and night, hope to come. For which hope’s sake, king Agrippa, I am
accused of the Jews. 8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible
with you, that God should raise the dead? 9 I verily thought with
myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of
Nazareth. 10 Which thing I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the
saints did I shut up in prison, having received authority from the chief
priests; and when they were put to death, I gave my voice against them. 11 And I punished
them oft in every synagogue, and compelled
them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. 12
Whereupon as I went to Damascus with authority and commission from the chief
priests,
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II. The Confrontation with the Lord - The
Conversion of Saul on the Damascus Road
Acts 9:3-9
|
Acts 22:6-11
|
Acts 26:13-18
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3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and
suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And
he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why
persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the
Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 6 And
he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the
Lord said unto him, Arise, and go
into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. 7 And
the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but
seeing no man. 8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes
were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. 9 And
he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
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6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey,
and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven
a great light round about me. 7 And I fell unto the ground, and
heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 8
And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of
Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. 9 And they that were with me saw
indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that
spake to me. 10 And I said, What shall I do, Lord? And the Lord
said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of
all things which are appointed for thee to do. 11 And when I could
not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were
with me, I came into Damascus.
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13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from
heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them
which journeyed with me. 14 And when we were all fallen to the
earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue,
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it
is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 15 And I said,
Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. 16
But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this
purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which
thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; 17
Delivering thee from the people, and
from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, 18 To open their
eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God,
that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which
are sanctified by faith that is in me.
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III. The Ministry of Ananias - The Healing and
Baptism of Saul
Acts 9:10-18
|
Acts 22:12-16
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Acts 26
|
10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named
Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold,
I am here, Lord. 11 And
the Lord said unto him, Arise, and
go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of
Judas for one called Saul, of
Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 12 And hath seen in a vision a
man named Ananias coming in, and putting
his hand on him, that he might receive his sight. 13 Then
Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he
hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 14 And here he hath
authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name. 15
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to
bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16
For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake. 17
And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands
on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord,
even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent
me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18
And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he
received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
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12 And one Ananias, a devout man according to the law,
having a good report of all the Jews which dwelt there, 13 Came unto me, and stood, and said unto me,
Brother Saul, receive thy sight. And the same hour I looked up upon him. 14
And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest
know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his
mouth. 15 For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou
hast seen and heard. 16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized,
and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.
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IV. The Aftermath of the Conversion of Saul - The
Inauguration of his Ministry
Acts 9:19-30
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Acts 22:17-21
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Acts 26:19-23
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19 And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then
was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. 20
And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of
God. 21 But all that heard
him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which
called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he
might bring them bound unto the chief priests? 22 But Saul
increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at
Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. 23 And after that many
days were fulfilled, 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. 26 And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join
himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not
that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared
unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him,
and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28
And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. 29 And
he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the
Grecians: but they went about to slay him. 30 Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea,
and sent him forth to Tarsus.
|
17 And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem,
even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance; 18 And saw
him saying unto me, Make haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for
they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. 19 And I said,
Lord, they know that I imprisoned and beat in every synagogue them that
believed on thee: 20 And when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was
shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the
raiment of them that slew him. 21 And he said unto me, Depart: for
I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.
|
19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient
unto the heavenly vision: 20 But shewed first unto them of
Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they
should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance. 21
For these causes the Jews caught me in the temple, and went about to kill me. 22 Having therefore
obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and
great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did
say should come: 23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead,
and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.
|
“His
disciples”? Really? The
Text of Acts 9:25
The documentation for the variant readings found in the
extant manuscripts, versions and texts for one issue in verse 25 involving
orthography, and/or word order, or omission is as follows
:
1) αὐτὸν
οἱ μαθηταὶ - E, H, L, P, Ψ,
33vid, 1739, m , gig, vgcl, syrp, h, copsa,
bo, arm, al; TR, MT, RP.
2) οἱ
μαθηταὶ αὐτὸν - 6, 69, 81*, 1175.
3) οἱ μαθηταὶ - S, 36, 429, al.
4) οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ - p74א ,, A, B, C, 81c, pc, vgst, ww; WH, Treg, NA28.
This is one of those cases where there appears to be a
clear cut issue between the Byzantine/Majority reading, and the
Eclectic/Alexandrian reading. While
granting that there is nothing inappropriate about referring to Paul’s
spiritual children and/or followers as “his disciples”,
the textual issue here must be decided on more objective grounds than modern
scholarship appears to have considered when it endorses the
Eclectic/Alexandrian reading.
Unfortunately the conclusions currently in
vogue on this issue have found their way into the vast majority of modern
translations with no acknowledgment of the textual issue and only very rare
exceptions to this trend.
There is extensive documentation for the
Byzantine/Majority reading in Greek manuscripts and the versions. This evidence includes a Greek miniscule significant
because it is listed in the Alands’ Category I
(33)
,
although it is acknowledged that in this case “the reading cannot be determined
with absolute certainty”, but with “a high degree of certainty” nevertheless.
The Eclectic/Alexandrian reading, however:
1) contradicts its own
speculative methods in failing to account for:
(1) the accusative form of the
pronoun occurring in more than one position in the evidence, and,
(2) the predominance of
testimony for the pronoun preceding the article and the noun, and that only in
the accusative case.
In other words, this is not just
an issue of orthography, but also includes variants regarding word order that appear
to argue against rather than for the non-Eclectic/Alexandrian reading.
2) fails to adequately address
the significance of the recognition of this issue in the disagreement over it
found in copies of a Greek miniscule (81) and the editions of the Vulgate Latin
version
;
and,
3) fails to account for:
(1) the antiquity and agreement
of the Syriac and Coptic versions,
(2) the significance of the
agreement of the Peshitta and the Harklensis
editions of the Syriac which geographically embrace Edessa in Mesopotamia and
Alexandria in Egypt respectively,
and,
(3) the acknowledged value of
the Coptic version as a primary resource for the history of the development of
the Alexandrian and Egyptian text types.
The most that Metzger appears willing to grant comes when
he concludes, “The most satisfactory solution appears to be the conjecture that
the oldest extant text arose through scribal inadvertence, when an original
αὐτὸν was taken as
αὐτοῦ.” His prejudice against this reading he chooses
to characterize as a “conjecture” is revealed following his introductory statement:
“The oldest reading extant in the manuscripts appears to be
οἱ
μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ…” which “was altered….to
οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτὸν….or to
αὐτὸν
οἱ μαθηταὶ…”, when he subsequently refers to this “oldest reading” as
the “best attested reading”.
Sola Scriptura, Soli Deo Gloria,
John T. “Jack” Jeffery
Pastor, Wayside Gospel Chapel
Greentown, PA
6 JAN 2014
Sources:
Kurt Aland and
Barbara Aland, The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the
Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism,
trans. Erroll F. Rhodes (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.,
1987; from Der Text des Neuen Testaments,
Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellshcaft, 1981), pp. 155, 157, 193, and 200.
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. 367.
Zane C. Hodges, Arthur L. Farstad, et al., eds. The
Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text, 2nd ed. (Nashville:
Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985), pg. 404.
M. W. Holmes, Apparatus
for the Greek New Testament: SBL Edition (Logos Bible Software, 2010), s.v.
Acts 9:25.
Bruce M. Metzger,
A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament: A Companion Volume to the
United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament (third edition), corrected ed.
(Stuttgart, Germany: United Bible Societies, 1971), pg. 366.
Eberhard Nestle,
Erwin Nestle, Barbara Aland, Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M.
Martini, and Bruce M. Metzger, Novum Testamentum Graece, 27th ed.
(Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1898, 1993), pg. 347.
David G.
Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, The
Pillar New Testament Commentaries, gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009), pg. 314, note 68.
Maurice A. Robinson and William G. Pierpont, The New
Testament in the Original Greek: Byzantine Textform 2005 (Southborough, MA:
Chilton Book Publishing, 2005), pg.
271; The New Testament in the original Greek: Byzantine Textform 2005, with
morphology (Bellingham, WA: Logos
Bible Software, 2006), s.v. Ac 9:25.
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. 455.
Scrivener’s
Textus Receptus (1894): With morphology (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2002), s.v. Ac 9:25.
“The Lord
Jesus”? The Text of Acts 9:28
In spite of the recognition of this issue in the SBL and
the MT apparatuses, and its inclusion in the Byzantine and Majority texts the NA27 does not deem it worthy
of acknowledgement by the inclusion of
any evidence for the variants in this place.
However, the NA27 has done so for the similar issue found at
the end of verse 27 where the editors, inconsistently in my opinion, actually
decided in favor of the reading found there in the Byzantine texts (Majority
tradition). Metzger does not deem either
of these worthy of discussion.
This inconsistency in the NA27 would be
inexplicable apart from:
1) extremely subjective attempts
at explanation for how variants arose,
2) along with an operating
predisposition in favor of a handful of manuscripts considered as older despite
their divergence on the similar issue in the previous verse.
The variants listed in the NA27 with the
documentation for this issue in verse 27 are as follows:
1) Ἰησοῦ - †,
B, C, 323, pc.
2) κυρίου - A, pc.
3) τοῦ
κυρίου Ἰησοῦ - (104),
326, 1241, al, p.
4) τοῦ
Ἰησοῦ Χριστόῦ - Ψ, pc.
5) τοῦ Ἰησοῦ - p74, א,
E, 33, 1739.
This last is the reading adopted in the the TR, MT, RP, and
NA27.
It is remarkable that here where the “Alexandrian” witnesses
are so divided - with Vaticanus omitting the article, Alexandrinus replacing
the name with the title both in disagreement with the Bodmer Papyrus XVII and
Sinaiticus - the editors of the modern critical texts have decided in favor of
the reading preserved in the Byzantine family and the Received Text. This decision is undoubtedly due solely to
the weight assigned to the papyrus and Sinaiticus. Yet in the next verse no recognition
whatsoever is given to a variant reading for the inclusion of the name
preserved in two variant readings:
1) one in the Byzantine family
including the Received Text minus one of von Soden’s subgroups where the name
follows the title, and,
2) the other in one of von
Soden’s large subgroups plus an Alexandrian lettered uncial, the Ephraemi
Rescriptus Codex (which in the previous verse was in agreement with the variant
found in Vaticanus) where the name appears without the title preceding.
SBL and MT on verse 28 (29):
SBL - 28 • κυρίου WH Treg NA28 ] + Ἰησοῦ RP
MT - 29 4 Κυριου Ιησου M, TR vs Ιησου MrC vs Κυριου א*BA, Cr
Sola Scriptura, Soli Deo Gloria,
John T. “Jack” Jeffery
Pastor, Wayside Gospel Chapel
Greentown, PA
6 JAN 2014
Sources:
Zane C. Hodges, Arthur L. Farstad, et al., eds. The
Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text, 2nd ed. (Nashville:
Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985), pg. 404.
M. W. Holmes, Apparatus
for the Greek New Testament: SBL Edition (Logos Bible Software, 2010), s.v.
Acts 9:28.
Eberhard Nestle,
Erwin Nestle, Barbara Aland, Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M.
Martini, and Bruce M. Metzger, Novum Testamentum Graece, 27th ed.
(Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1898, 1993), pg. 347.
Maurice A. Robinson and William G. Pierpont, The New
Testament in the Original Greek: Byzantine Textform 2005 (Southborough, MA:
Chilton Book Publishing, 2005), pg.
271; The New Testament in the original Greek: Byzantine Textform 2005, with
morphology (Bellingham, WA: Logos
Bible Software, 2006), s.v. Ac 9:28.
Scrivener’s
Textus Receptus (1894): With morphology (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2002), s.v. Ac 9:28.
[3] “a king of Nabatean Arabia”.
Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A. (1996). Vol. 1:
Greek-English lexicon of the New
Testament: Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.)
(819). New York: United Bible Societies, s.v. 93.36.
“Name of several kings of
an Arabian people called the Nabataeans, considered to be descendants of
Nebaioth, Ishmael’s oldest son (Gn 25:12–16; 1 Chr 1:29). According to the
Jewish historian Josephus, Ishmael’s descendants inhabited an area all the way
from the Euphrates to the Red Sea, calling it Nabatene. Their capital city, Sela,
was called Petra in NT times.
The Aretas of 2 Maccabees
5:8, before whom Jason the priest was accused, ruled about 170 b.c. The Nabataeans were evidently
friendly toward the Maccabeans (1 Mc 5:24–28; 9:35). Josephus mentioned two
other kings named Aretas. It was Aretas III, originally named Obodas, who
extended Nabataean control and occupied Damascus during his reign (87–62 b.c.).
The NT contains a
reference to still another Aretas. The apostle Paul had to escape from Damascus
by being let down in a basket through a hole in the wall because the governor
there “under King Aretas” guarded the city to seize him (2 Cor 11:32, 33). That
Aretas has been identified as Eneas, who took the title Aretas IV and ruled
from 9 b.c. to a.d. 40. He attacked and defeated Herod
Antipas over a boundary dispute and also as revenge. (Antipas had divorced
Aretas’ daughter in order to marry Herodias.)
Paul’s mention of Aretas
raises some questions about chronology, since at that particular time Damascus
was under Roman jurisdiction—although it had formerly belonged to Arabian
kings. If more of the history of that time were known, the facts might be that:
(1) the Roman emperor had left Damascus under Aretas’ rule for a while to
facilitate a smooth transition; (2) Aretas was a kind of overseer of the
Nabataean population in that area, though they ultimately were under Roman
control; or (3) during the battle against Herod Antipas, Damascus was seized by
the Nabataeans for a brief period, during which Paul visited the city.”
Elwell, W. A., &
Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Baker encyclopedia
of the Bible (168). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, s.v. “Aretas”.
See below on the textual issue here.
[5] Different words for “basket” are used in the accounts of
this event in Luke’s history in Acts 9:25 and Paul’s mention in 2 Cor. 11:33:
“6.148 σαργάνη, ης f—‘basket.’14 ἐν σαργάνῃ ἐχαλάσθην ‘I was let down
in a basket’ 2 Cor 11:33. In the one context in which σαργάνη occurs (2 Cor 11:33), the basket was evidently rather large,
since it was used to let Paul down from an opening in the wall of Damascus. It
may very well have been made of braided ropes. In 2 Cor 11:33 the basket is
called σαργάνη, while in Ac
9:25 the same basket is referred to as σπυρίς (6.149).
6.149 σπυρίς, ίδος f: a basket
which is presumably somewhat larger than a κόφινος (6.150)—‘large basket.’ τὸ περισσεῦον τῶν κλασμάτων ἦραν, ἑπτὰ σπυρίδας πλήρεις ‘they took up
seven baskets full of the pieces that remained’ Mt 15:37.”
See also:
“6.150 κόφινος, ου m: a relatively
large basket used primarily for food or produce—‘large basket.’14 ἦραν τὸ περισσεῦον τῶν κλασμάτων δώδεκα
κοφίνους πλήρεις ‘they took up twelve baskets full of the pieces that
remained’ Mt 14:20. Translators often find it difficult to obtain satisfactory
equivalents of σπυρίς (6.149) and κόφινος, since in various receptor languages there are highly
specific terms for particular kinds of baskets depending upon type of
construction and size. Unfortunately, there is no way of determining from the
Greek text precisely the size or type of baskets involved in references to σπυρίς and κόφινος.”
Louw, J. P., & Nida,
E. A. (1996). Vol. 1: Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament:
Based on semantic domains (electronic ed. of the 2nd edition.) (70–71). New
York: United Bible Societies.
[6] Beale, G. K., & Carson, D. A. (2007). Commentary on the New Testament use of the
Old Testament (576). Grand Rapids, MI; Nottingham, UK: Baker Academic;
Apollos.
“Michal. Younger daughter of Saul (1 Sm 14:49).
She fell in love with David after his defeat of Goliath (18:20). Saul, jealous
of David, offered his first daughter, Merab, to David, but the recent victor
graciously declined. When Michal’s love became known to Saul, he renewed his
offer of a wife, providing David produce evidence of killing 100 Philistines, a
condition Saul felt would surely lead to David’s death (vv 21–29).
David met
Saul’s condition in double measure and married Michal. Saul’s jealousy was only
fanned, and he plotted to have David murdered. Michal heard of the plot and
assisted in her husband’s escape (19:8–17). During David’s exile, Saul gave
Michal to Palti (25:44).
Following
Saul’s death, Abner negotiated with David, part of their agreement being the
return of Michal to David’s household. This was done despite Palti’s remorse (2
Sm 3:12–16). But youthful ardor had apparently suffered strain. When David
returned with the ark to Jerusalem, dancing before it, Michal voiced her harsh
criticism. David’s reply was equally severe. Michal would remain childless as
punishment for her candidness. (The kjv,
using inferior manuscripts, reports Michal as the mother of five sons in 2
Samuel 21:8. Adriel, however, was the husband of Merab, a correction reflected
in rsv, niv, nasb, neb.)
David’s
overwhelming popularity should not overshadow the courage and passion displayed
by Michal. She let her love be known when women hardly took the initiative in
courtship, saved David’s life at the risk of her own, was emotionally
victimized by her forced marriage and separation from Palti, and voiced her
critical convictions against the tide of public opinion.” Elwell, W. A., & Beitzel, B. J. (1988). Baker encyclopedia of the Bible
(1454–1455). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House.
See below concerning the textual issue here.
Zane C. Hodges, Arthur L. Farstad, et al., eds. The
Greek New Testament According to the Majority Text, 2nd ed. (Nashville:
Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1985), pg. 404.
M. W. Holmes, Apparatus for the Greek New
Testament: SBL Edition (Logos Bible Software, 2010), s.v. Acts 9:25.
Eberhard Nestle, Erwin
Nestle, Barbara Aland, Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini,
and Bruce M. Metzger, Novum Testamentum Graece, 27th ed. (Stuttgart:
Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1898, 1993), pg. 347.
Bruce M. Metzger, A
Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament: A Companion Volume to the United
Bible Societies' Greek New Testament (third edition), corrected ed.
(Stuttgart, Germany: United Bible Societies, 1971), pg. 366.
Maurice A. Robinson and
William G. Pierpont, The New Testament in the Original Greek: Byzantine
Textform 2005 (Southborough, MA: Chilton Book Publishing, 2005), pg. 271; The
New Testament in the original Greek: Byzantine Textform 2005, with morphology (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software,
2006), s.v. Ac 9:25.
Scrivener’s Textus
Receptus (1894): With morphology
(Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2002), s.v. Ac 9:25.
See, e.g., Metzger, ibid.; 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. 455; David G. Peterson, The Acts of the Apostles, The Pillar New Testament Commentaries,
gen. ed. D. A. Carson (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2009),
pg. 314, note 68; 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. 367.
The New Living
Translation being one of those exceptions, which opted instead to add to
the expanded paraphrase in the text, “some of the other believers”, by placing this translation in a footnote: “Greek his disciples”, with no acknowledgment
of the existence of the textual issue. Holy
Bible: New Living Translation, 3rd ed.
(Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2007), s.v. Acts 9:25.
“Manuscripts of a very special quality which should
always be considered in establishing the original text…” Kurt Aland and Barbara
Aland, The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical
Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism, trans.
Erroll F. Rhodes (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1987; from Der Text des Neuen Testaments,
Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellshcaft, 1981), pg. 155.
Kurt Aland and Barbara Aland, op. cit., pg. 157.
“vid
(= ut videtur)”. Eberhard Nestle, Erwin Nestle, Barbara Aland,
Kurt Aland, Johannes Karavidopoulos, Carlo M. Martini, and Bruce M. Metzger, Novum
Testamentum Graece, 27th ed. (Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 1898,
1993), pg. 55, s.v. “Introduction”.
