Wayside Gospel Chapel: Pastor's Sermon Notes: From a Basket to Barnabas with Boldness (Acts 9:23-30)

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![1]

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)

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[2]:

Acts 9:19-22 - ¹⁹And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. ²⁰And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. ²¹But 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? ²²But 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.[4]

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 NA²⁷ 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[7] 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”[8]

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.[9]

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).

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].

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).

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).

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].

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).

*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].

*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	Acts 22:3-5	Acts 26:4-12
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.	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,

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
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.	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.	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.

III. The Ministry of Ananias - The Healing and Baptism of Saul

Acts 9:10-18	Acts 22:12-16	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.	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.

IV. The Aftermath of the Conversion of Saul - The Inauguration of his Ministry

Acts 9:19-30	Acts 22:17-21	Acts 26:19-23
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[10]:

1) αὐτὸν οἱ μαθηταὶ - E, H, L, P, Ψ, 33^vid, 1739, m , gig, vg^cl, syr^{p, h}, cop^sa,
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, 81^c, pc, vg^{st, 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”,[11] 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.[12] 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.[13]

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[14] (33)[15], although it is acknowledged that in this case “the reading cannot be determined with absolute certainty”, but with “a high degree of certainty” nevertheless.[16]

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[17]; 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[18] editions of the Syriac which geographically embrace Edessa in Mesopotamia and Alexandria in Egypt respectively,[19] 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.[20]

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”.[21]

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 NA²⁷has 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 M^rC 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.

Scrivener’s Textus Receptus (1894): With morphology (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2002), s.v. Ac 9:28.

[1] Acts 9:15-16 - “…he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

[2] The Damascus Disciple Sent to the Sightless Saul (Acts 9:10-22), preached 29 DEC 2013.

^{^[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”.

[4] 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.”

Wayside Gospel Chapel

Verse of the Day

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Pastor's Sermon Notes: From a Basket to Barnabas with Boldness (Acts 9:23-30)

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