Verse of the Day

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Pastor's Sermon Notes: From the Synagogue to the School: Paul at Ephesus (Acts 19:8-12)

From the Synagogue to the School: Paul at Ephesus
Acts 19:8-12

8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. 9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. 10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. 11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.


Introduction:

Ephesus is the geographical focus in this chapter, with Paul as the personal focus. Before this chapter concludes Paul will be fixated on Jerusalem and then Rome. This plan of Paul will then usher in the final geographic movements in the book. In the sermon on the first 7 verses of this chapter I mentioned that Darrell Bock cites F. F. Bruce concerning the fact that there are four scenes recorded here. We now have our attention drawn to the second of these scenes (in spite of some minor disagreements with Dr. Bock about how they are outlined in the chapter!).

Outline:

I. The Foundation of His Ministry (19:8)
II. The Impact of His Ministry (19:9-10)
III. The Power of His Ministry (19:11-12)

Transition:  Our attention in this scene must be drawn to the kingdom of God, and the special miracles associated with Paul’s ministry.

Reminder: The historical narrative recorded by Luke in Acts covers a transitional period in God’s dealings with his people. Some of it pertains only to this foundational period, and thus does not have direct application to us. Some of it applies to the Church in all stages of its development, and should be taken directly and personally by us today. All of it is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness. All of it is the Word of God, inspired by the Spirit of God, and is necessary for us to be perfected and full equipped to every good work. Let us rightly divide it, honor it, submit to it, and profit from it as such.  

I. The Foundation of His Ministry (19:8)

And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

1. The Extent of this Foundation
2. The Nature of this Foundation
3. The Content of this Foundation

1. The Extent of this Foundation

And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months

2. The Nature of this Foundation

disputing and persuading

Apologetics and polemics - Defending the Faith and countering error

“Disputing” = reasoning (the root word sounds like our word dialog)

You will never “argue” anyone into heaven!
Job 6:25 - How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?

You must, nevertheless, appeal to the reason. This must be done, and can only be successful when done with Scripture. The ways and wisdom of the world plants no seeds that the Spirit of God will honor. The preaching of the cross of Christ, and the sowing of the seeds of the Word of Christ is the only hope for those whose minds are darkened, whose eyes are blind, and whose ears are deaf to the truth of God.

The mind must be engaged, the understanding must be appealed to, and when the Spirit of God illumines the mind the light of God’s Day will dawn, and the Day Star will arise in their hearts.

2 Pet. 1:19 - We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

That is the work of the Spirit of God.
Our work is to reason with the unreasonable, and to leave the supernatural results with God.

“Persuading” = the goal of his ministry, i.e. to convict and convince
Winning a logical argument or a debate must not be the goal.
A supernatural, miraculous conversion and transformation involving faith and repentance must be the goal.

3. The Content of this Foundation

the things concerning the kingdom of God

The doctrine of the Kingdom:
earthly? heavenly? present -now? future - not yet? of heaven? of God? the Church? Israel?
Do not put the doctrine of the Kingdom in a theological “box” of your own fabrication!
Be very, very careful of falling into the “canon within the Canon” trap here!
There is some very good teaching on the Kingdom out there, and there is also much error due to one-sided and extreme positions on this subject.

Alva J. McClain - “But the Kingdom, although occupying a large place in apostolic preaching and teaching, is present only as an “eschatological” possibility, as James Orr has correctly indicated.” [1]

And then, 35 pages later, McClain muddies the water as follows seeming to contradiction what he wrote previously: “The Kingdom in its more universal aspect, i.e., as including the Mediatorial Kingdom and the Church, both of which must be regarded as within the Kingdom of God.” [2]

The preaching and teaching of the Kingdom in Acts:
1:3; 1:6; 8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23, 31.

Subjects to consider in formulating a Biblical doctrine of the Kingdom of God:

1) The Nature of the Kingdom of God

"The kingdom is not primarily a what, it's primarily a who."
- Robert Godfrey, "The Gospel Message of Christ" (24 MAR 2012), at the 2012 Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology.

2) The Presence of the Kingdom of God (“at hand”)

3) The Gospel of the Kingdom of God (including “the word of the Kingdom”)

4) The Entrance Requirements of the Kingdom of God (“the children of the Kingdom”)

"The kingdom of God is a kingdom of absolute righteousness. You are either a loyal subject or a traitor." - A. A. Hodge

"Your baptism infused into you no principle of life; it conferred upon you no saving grace. You must be born again of the Spirit, be washed in the blood of Christ and be clothed in his righteousness before you can enter the kingdom of grace on earth, or be admitted within the kingdom of glory in heaven." - Octavius Winslow (1808-1878), The Work of the Holy Spirit

"'Be merciful unto me,’ is the prayer you must learn to pray if you hope to enter the Kingdom of God." - Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892)

Consider these subjects in the following Scripture passages as starting points:

1) The Synoptic Gospels, especially Matthew (and the parallel passages elsewhere in the Synoptics): Mt. 3:2; 4:7; 4:23; 5:3, 10, 19-20; 6:10, 13, 33; 7:21; etc.

2) The Johanine corpus: Jn. 3:3, 5; Jn. 18:36; Rev. 1:11

3) Paul’s Epistles: Rom. 14:17; 1 Cor. 4:20; 6:9-10; 15:50; Gal. 5:21; Eph. 5:5; Col. 1:13

4) Hebrews 1:8; 12:28

5) The General Epistles: Jas. 2:5; 2 Pet. 1:11

For further study on this issue see “Resources on the Kingdom” below.

II. The Impact of His Ministry (19:9-10)

9 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. 10 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

2 Cor. 2:14-17 - 14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. 15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: 16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

1. The Savor of Death (19:9)
2. The Savor of Life (19:10)

1. The Savor of Death (19:9) - The Negative Impact

 But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.

1) The Reason for the Move - Opposition
2) The Result of the Move - Separation

1) The Reason for the Move - Opposition

But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude

The process of the opposition:
(1) Hardening
(2) Unbelieving
(3) Maligning (slandering)

“that way” = the usual expression to refer to the followers of Jesus Christ, i.e., “Christians,” at that time, as we have already seen earlier in Acts

2) The Result of the Move - Separation

he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus

The process of the move involved:
(1) Paul departing from the synagogue
(2) Paul separating the disciples from the synagogue
(3) Paul continuing his disputing concerning the things of the kingdom of God in the school of Tyrannus

Tyrannus? Nothing further is known about this person or the facility.
Were church meetings on the sabbaths, of the first day of the week then conducted in places other than the synagogue, perhaps in this lecture hall? We are not told anything further on the long term impact on the synagogue and its membership.

“School” = lecture hall

The bottom line is that at Ephesus Paul had access to a facility well suited to the expansion of his ministry. This lecture hall was not under the control of the Jews, especially not those who were so hardened in their unbelief that they were slandering the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This was to his advantage, and was obviously a provision of the Lord that worked extremely well for the furtherance of the Gospel ministry in and from Ephesus.

“The interesting addition in the Western text (“[Paul] argued daily in the hall of Tyrannus from the fifth hour to the tenth” [i. e. from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.]) may represent an accurate piece of information, preserved in oral tradition before being incorporated into the text of certain manuscripts….(Instead of “to the tenth” two Latin manuscripts of the Vulgate read “to the ninth” (G), “to the ninth and tenth” (D).)” [3]

2. The Savor of Life (19:10) - The Positive Impact

 And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.

1) Temporal extent
2) Universal effect

1) Temporal extent - And this continued by the space of two years

2) Universal effect - so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks

III. The Power of His Ministry (19:11-12)

11 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: 12 So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

1. The Extraordinary Power Of His Ministry (19:11)
2. The Kingdom Power of His Ministry (19:12)

1. The Extraordinary Power Of His Ministry (19:11)

 And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:

“Special” = “extraordinary” (NASB) or “unusual” (NKJV); “δυνάμεις τε οὐ τὰς τυχούσας ‘unusual miracles’ (literally ‘miracles not experienced’) Ac 19:11.” [4]

This was attention getting power. It drew attention to Paul. It gained him a growing audience, and increasing credibility as an Apostle of Jesus Christ verified by the signs of an Apostle.

Miraculous events associated with Paul: 13:4-12 (blinding of Elymas the sorcerer); 14:3 (with others), 8-10 (healing of lame man), 19-20 (resuscitated); 15:12 (reported); 16:16-18 (exorcism of damsel); 19:11-20; 20:7-12 (resuscitation of Eutychus); 28:1-6 (snake bite), 7-9 (healing of Publius’ father)

2. The Kingdom Power of His Ministry (19:12)

So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

“…various items of cloth became the vehicles for healing.” [5]

“Or that also sweatbands and sweatcloth or handkerchiefs” - HCSB, pg. 1,477

Mt. 9:20-22 - 20 And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: 21 For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 22 But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.

2 Cor. 12:12 - Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

“Don Stewart lays his hands on the Green Prosperity Prayer Handkerchiefs and prays over them. As soon as possible the handkerchief is sent to you. Just as with the Apostle Paul, there have been many great testimonies of the miracles of healing, prosperity and spiritual miracles from people who have used the Green Prosperity Prayer Handkerchief.” [6]

“This pamphlet is to accompany a prayer cloth which has been prayed over for God's healing and delivering power to be upon it. If you would like to receive a prayer cloth you can write to us and request one using the Contact page.
We have seen some excellent results from the use of prayer cloths. “Only believe! Only believe!” (Mark 5:36).”
[snip]
This pamphlet should accompany a prayer cloth which has been prayed over in accordance with Acts 19:11-12.
 There is now an anointing on your prayer cloth for healing and deliverance. As you believe you will be mightily touched by God for healing.”
[snip]
“Please remember that the power of the Holy Spirit remains on the cloth at all times. As you believe for this you will find remarkable healing takes place. You should use this prayer cloth by attaching it under your clothing and continue to wear it until you are healed and/or delivered.
You should use this prayer cloth by attaching it under your clothing and continue to wear it until you are healed and/or delivered.” [7]

“The point of contact” teaching - touch the TV, candles, objects, rugs, pictures, vials of water, crosses, dirt, outlines of a hand, etc. [8]

Cp. the relics of Romanism including the bones of the “saints”.

2 Cor. 11:13-15 - 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

2 Th. 2:9-12 - 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Conclusion:

Hebrews 12:12-29

Complete outline:

I. The Foundation of His Ministry (19:8)

1. The Extent of this Foundation

2. The Nature of this Foundation

3. The Content of this Foundation

II. The Impact of His Ministry (19:9-10)

1. The Savor of Death (19:9)

2. The Savor of Life (19:10)

III. The Power of His Ministry (19:11-12)

1. The Extraordinary Power Of His Ministry (19:11)

2. The Kingdom Power of His Ministry (19:12)

[Sermon preached 9 NOV 2014 by Pastor John T. “Jack” Jeffery at Wayside Gospel Chapel, Greentown, PA.]

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Resources on the Kingdom:

Oswald T. Allis, Prophecy and the Church (Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1945, 1947).

Louis Berkhof, The Kingdom of God: The Development of the Idea of the Kingdom Especially Since the Eighteenth Century (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1951).

G. C. Berkouwer, The Return of Christ, Vol. 14 in Studies in Dogmatics, ed. Marlin J. Van Elderen, trans. James Van Oosterom (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1972; from the Dutch ed., De Wederkomst van Christus, I and II, Kampen, The Netherlands: J. H. Kok N.V., 1961, 1963).

Darrell L. Bock, “The Kingdom of God in New Testament Theology,” in Looking into the Future: Evangelical Studies in Eschatology, ed. David W. Baker, series: Evangelical Theological Society Studies (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001), pp. 28-60.

Darrell L. Bock, gen. ed., Three Views on the Millennium and Beyond (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1999).

Loraine Boettner, The Millennium (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1959).

Horatius Bonar, The Coming and Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ: Being an Examination of the Work of the Rev. D. Brown, on the Second Coming of the Lord (Kelso: J. Rutherford, 1849); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=QEBVAAAAcAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 11 NOV 2014].

Alexander Balmain Bruce, The Kingdom of God; or, Christ’s Teaching According To The Synoptical Gospels (New York: Scribner & Welford, 1889); on Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/kingdomofgod00bruc [accessed 10 NOV 2014].

J. S. Candlish, The Kingdom of God Biblically and Historically Considered (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1884); on Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/kingdomofbiblic00canduoft  [accessed 10 NOV 2014].

Robert G. Clouse, ed., The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1977).

Patrick Fairbairn, “Kingdom of God or of Heaven,” in The Classic Bible Dictionary, ed. Jay P. Green, Sr. (Lafayette, IN: Sovereign Grace Trust Fund, 1988), pp. 719-720.

Charles L. Feinberg, Millennialism: The Two Major Views, The Premillennial and Amillennial Systems of Interpretation Analyzed & Compared, 3rd ed. (Chicago: Moody Press, 1936, 1954, 1961, 1980).

Graeme Goldsworthy, Gospel and Kingdom (Crownhill, Milton Keynes, U.K.: Paternoster, 1981).

Graeme Goldsworthy, “Kingdom of God,” in New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, eds. T. D. Alexander, Brian S. Rosner, D. A. Carson, and Graeme Goldsworthy (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2000), pp. 615-620.

Johannes Friedrich Gottshick, “Kingdom of God”, in The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, 13 vols., ed. Samuel Macauley Jackson (New York: Funk and Wagnalls Co., 1909), VI:334-339; on the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc06/Page_334.html [accessed 20 FEB 2014].

“Kingdom of God” (unsigned article), in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, eds. John McClintock and James Strong (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1880); on Biblical Cyclopedia at http://www.biblicalcyclopedia.com/K/kingdom-of-god.html
[accessed 10 NOV 2014].

B. Klappert, “King, Kingdom”, in The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, gen. ed. Colin Brown, English ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1978; trans. from Germ. original, Theologisches Begriffslexikon Zum Neuen Testament, 1971 by Theologischer Verlag Rolf Brockhaus, Wuppertal), 2:372-390.

Hermann Kleinknecht, Gerhard von Rad, Karl Georg Kuhn, and Karl Ludwig Schmidt, “βασιλεύς, βασιλεία, βασίλισσα, βασιλεύω, συμβασιλεύω, βασίλειος, βασιλικός in Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, ed. Gerhard Kittel, trans. Geoffrey W. Bromiley (Eerdmans, 1967), I:564-593.

George Eldon Ladd, Crucial Questions about the Kingdom of God (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1952).

George Eldon Ladd, The Gospel of the Kingdom (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1959).

George Eldon Ladd, “Kingdom of Christ, God, Heaven,” in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, ed. W. A. Elwell (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1984), pp. 607-611.

George Eldon Ladd, “Kingdom of God,” in Baker’s Dictionary of Theology, eds. Everett F. Harrison, Geoffrey W. Bromiley, and Carl F. H. Henry (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1960), pp. 309-314.

George Eldon Ladd, “Kingdom of God,” in The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary, gen ed. Merrill C. Tenney, rev. ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1963, 1964, 1967), pp. 466-467.

George Eldon Ladd, “Kingdom of God (Heaven),” in Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible, eds. W. A. Elwell and B. J. Beitzel (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1988), pp. 1269-1278.

Gary D. Long, Context! Evangelical Views on the Millennium Examined, 3rd ed. (n.p.: Sovereign Grace Ministries, 2001).

Allan Alexander MacRae, The Millennial Kingdom of Christ (Hatfield, PA: Biblical School of Theology, n.d.; and Wilmington, DE: Faith Theological Seminary, n.d.; originally in the Christian Beacon, March 11, and 18, 1937); extensively revised and republished as A Glorious Future: A Premillennialist Looks At The Millennial Kingdom Of Christ And Examines Postmillennial And Amillennial Objections (Hatfield, PA: Biblical Theological Seminary, 1981).

Alva J. McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom: An Inductive Study of the Kingdom of God (Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books, 1959).

Russell D. Moore, The Kingdom of Christ: The New Evangelical Perspective (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2004).

J. Orr, “Kingdom Of God, Of Heaven,” in A Dictionary of the Bible Dealing with its Language, Literature, and Contents Including the Biblical Theology, 5 vols., ed. James Hastings (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, n.d.; 1988 reprint from 1988 original by T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh), 2:844-856; on the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at  http://www.ccel.org/ccel/hastings/dictv2/Page_844.html [accessed 9 NOV 2014].

J. Barton Payne, Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1980).

George N. H. Peters, The Theocratic Kingdom, 3 vols. (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1952).

Herman Nicolaas Ridderbos, The Coming of the Kingdom, ed. Raymond O. Zorn, trans. H. de Jongste (n.p.: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Co., 1962; St. Catherines, Ontario Canada: Paideia Press, 1978); on Reformational Publishing Project and Paideia Press at http://reformationalpublishingproject.com/pdf_books/Scanned_Books_PDF/TheComingOfTheKingdomI.pdf [accessed 11 NOV 2014].

Herman Nicolaas Ridderbos, “Kingdom of God, Kingdom of Heaven”, in The New Bible Dictionary, eds. J. D. Douglas, F. F. Bruce, R. V. G. Tasker, J. I. Packer, D. J. Wiseman (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1962), pp. 693-697.

Archibald Robertson, Regnum Dei: Eight Lectures On The Kingdom Of God In The History Of Christian Thought (London: Methuen & Co., 1901); on Google Books at http://books.google.com/books?id=2e42AAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 11 NOV 2014].

James Stalker, “The Kingdom of God (of Heaven), The,” in The International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, 5 vols., eds. J. Orr, J. L. Nuelsen, E. Y. Mullins and  M. O. Evans (Chicago: The Howard-Severance Company, 1915), pp. 1805-1808; on International Standard Bible Encylopedia Online at http://www.internationalstandardbible.com/K/kingdom-of-god-(of-heaven)-the.html  [accessed 15 MAY 2014].

Geerhardus Vos, The Teaching of Jesus Concerning the Kingdom of God and the Church (New York: American Tract Society, 1903); on Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/theteachingofjes00vosuoft [accessed 10 NOV 2014].

Bruce K. Waltke, “The Kingdom of God in Biblical Theology,” in Looking into the Future: Evangelical Studies in Eschatology, ed. David W. Baker, series: Evangelical Theological Society Studies (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2001), pp. 15-27.

John F. Walvoord, The Millennial Kingdom (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959).

Stephen J. Wellum and Peter J. Gentry, Kingdom Through Covenant (Wheaton: Crossway, 2012).

Nathaniel West, The Thousand Years (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1993; from orig. Studies in Eschatology, 1899); on The Millennial Kingdom at http://www.themillennialkingdom.org.uk/ThousandYearsInBothTestaments.htm [accessed 11 NOV 2014].

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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).

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).

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).

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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].

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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].

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End Notes:

[1] The Greatness of the Kingdom: An Inductive Study of the Kingdom of God (Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books, 1959); pg. 390.McClain cites the following as being in agreement with his assertion at this point: J. Orr, “Kingdom Of God, Of Heaven,” in A Dictionary of the Bible Dealing with its Language, Literature, and Contents Including the Biblical Theology, 5 vols., ed. James Hastings (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, n.d.; 1988 reprint from 1988 original by T. & T. Clark, Edinburgh), 2:844-856; on the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at  http://www.ccel.org/ccel/hastings/dictv2/Page_844.html [accessed 9 NOV 2014].
[2] Op. cit., pg. 425.
[3] Metzger, B. M., & United Bible Societies. (1994). A textual commentary on the Greek New Testament, second edition a companion volume to the United Bible Societies' Greek New Testament (4th rev. ed.) (417). London; New York: United Bible Societies. See also Moffatt (1922), pg. 207, “from eleven to four,”, and note: “…probably original.” RSV (1946, 1962), note: “Other ancient authorities add ‘from the fifth hour to the tenth.’” Berkeley (1945, 1958, 1959), note r, pg. 144: “‘From ten till three,’ one ancient manuscript adds. Before and after that period Paul would be busy at his study and tent making.” New Berkeley, Modern Language Bible (1945, 1958, 1959, 1969), pg. 149, note q: “Some ancient manuscripts add “from ten until three.”
[4] 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.) (805). New York: United Bible Societies.
[5] 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), pg. 62. See “Paul as Miracle Worker?” pp. 60-62.  See also John B. Polhill, Acts, Vol. 26 in The New American Commentary, gen. ed. David S. Dockery (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, Publishers, 1992), pg. 401.
[6] Source: http://www.donstewartassociation.org/prayer_cloth.html [accessed 9 NOV 2014].
[8] See also http://heart2heartbeat.com/prayer_handkerchief.htm [accessed 9 NOV 2014].

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