Commentary on Acts 9:29-32

By Bob Myhan

²⁹And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. ³⁰When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus.

The Hellenists, as explained in chapter 8, were Jews who had absorbed the Hellenistic or Grecian culture. They could not defeat Saul in honest, open debate so they turned to what they knew best – aggression. This treatment would be a constant source of consternation to Saul for the rest of his life. He later writes of this to the church at Corinth.

We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed-- always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. (2 Cor. 4:8-11)

But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise! For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. To our shame, I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold--I speak foolishly--I am bold also. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ?--I speak as a fool--I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness-- besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. (2 Cor. 11:12-28)

Saul disappears from the treatise of Luke for a time at this point. It was suggested by McGarvey, though, that many of the adversities mentioned in the above quote occurred during Saul’s voyage to Tarsus, which was Saul’s home, as was learned from Luke’s account of the instructions of Jesus to Ananias

The decision to bring Saul “down to Caesarea” and send him “out to Tarsus” was not a human one. He later relates the following to the Jews in the temple.

“Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance and saw Him saying to me, 'Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.' So I said, 'Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.'

“Then He said to me, 'Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.'" (Acts 22:17-21)

Saul’s thinking, apparently, was that since he, as a Pharisee, had been convinced of the truth of Jesus being the Messiah, the other Pharisees would give him an objective hearing. Jesus knew, however, that this would not be the case. Saul was, indeed, destined for great things but his time was not yet. Hence, he is put as it were “on the back burner.” 

³¹Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.

With this short statement, Luke brings to a close the third ripple in the spread of the gospel. The promise of Jesus to the twelve, which Luke used as an outline of this treatise, was as follows.

And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." (Acts 1:7-8)

The first ripple had been in Jerusalem, the second in Judea and the third in Samaria. Luke did not detail the preaching in Galilee but here we are assured that the gospel had been taken there by someone. The fourth ripple is about to begin. The gospel must be taken “to the end of the world.” This, of course, means the Gentiles are to be given an opportunity to hear and obey the gospel. But it would not be Saul who would initially take it to them. This was a job for one of the original twelve. For this Luke turns his attention back to Peter.

³²Now it came to pass, as Peter went through all parts of the country, that he also came down to the saints who dwelt in Lydda. 

It was Peter to whom Jesus promised “the keys to the kingdom” (Matt. 16:19). It was he who had opened the narrow gate to the difficult way in Acts chapter two for the Jews. Now he would open that same gate for the Gentiles. Luke picks up where he left off with Peter.

So when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans. (Acts 8:25)

While we do not know where John went from that point, we find now that Peter did not remain in Jerusalem when he returned. But it should be remembered that, since the conversion of Saul, three years have passed of which Luke says very little, if anything. At any rate, there are saints at Lydda, whether they heard the gospel there or at Jerusalem on Pentecost.

(To be continued)

“Having … the Breastplate”

By W. Bruce Tooley

The second component of “the whole armor of God” is “the breastplate of righteousness" (Eph. 6:14). The literal breastplate was a coat fashioned of chain mail or armor, which covered the body from neck to thigh. It was often made of overlapped metal rings or scales (1 Sam. 17:5). Its purpose was protecting the vulnerable parts, especially the vital organs, such as the heart, where wounds might prove fatal. The spiritual breastplate protects the spiritual heart, like a bulletproof vest protects the physical heart.

According to Vine, “righteousness” is “the character or quality of being right or just…formerly spelled ‘rightwiseness,’ which clearly expresses the meaning” (p. 980). A Christian must protect himself by being righteous; without this spiritual breastplate he will surely fall in battle. But how does an individual “put on” righteousness?

Jesus taught that righteousness is to be obtained by conforming oneself to the commandments of God (Matt. 5:6, 10, 20). Whatever God commands we must obey (Matt. 3:15; 21:32). The gospel reveals God's plan for bestowing righteousness (Rom. 1:16, 17). He does this on the basis of His grace, by means of the shed blood of Jesus, and on the condition of faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of the living God.

Therefore, in order to best defend ourselves we must put on righteousness as it is revealed in the Bible. We do so by keeping ourselves free from immorality and other forms of sin—by abstaining from alcohol and drugs, and refraining from lying, cursing, covetousness, stealing, lust, adultery, etc. (Gal. 5:19-21).

God has not left us defenseless! We are completely protected if we will only follow the instructions given in the Bible. "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might" (Eph. 6:10). “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13). &

[Next Week: “Having Shod Your Feet”]