Douglas Jacoby Podcast

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

1. The example of Paul

-Standing on rights (Acts 16, 22, 25)
-Waiving rights (1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1)

2. Lawsuits
-Two views: no litigation or no litigation against fellow believers
-"Why not rather be wronged?" (1 Corinthians 6, Matthew 5)

3. American Revolutionary War (1775-1783)
-Which side would you find yourself on?
-Submit to which authorities? (Romans 12, 13)
-If this intrigues you, please hear the podcast on the American Civil War.

4. Civil Disobedience
-Only when man's law opposes God's law may we resist.
-It is justified only when the command of man contradicts the law of God, not when the law of man contradicts our personal preference or convenience.
(Daniel 3, 6; Acts 4-5)

5. Christian Government
-There is no such animal! The experiment has been tried, with catastrophic effect.
-Two separate spheres (faith and politics).
-Beware Dominion theology (Genesis 1:28), whose aims are not dissimilar to those of the radical Muslims.

6. Ultimate allegiance
-Many Christians are confused about the relationship between the church and the state.
-Text of the Pledge of Allegiance (1892): I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Note: The words "under God" were added in 1954.
- No follower of Christ can pledge ultimate allegiance to a flag, or to the state that it represents.
- [The following letter has been taken from Christianity Today, Oct. 2012, p.62.] "As one who has served over 31 years in the U.S. Coast Guard... I do not believe churches should display the American flag in their sanctuaries. 'No other flag or pennant should be placed above or, if on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America' (U.S. Code Title 4 Chapter 1). The usual practice in our churches is to display both the American flag and the Christian flag in the sanctuary. Since the American flag must be displayed in the preeminent position, this symbolically places our allegiance to our country over our faith in Jesus Christ and our citizenship in his kingdom." -- Ted Brandsma (Littleton, Colorado)

7. The example of Christ
-Philippians 2

Conclusion

• Law and government are expressions of God's sovereign authority. Insofar as the authorities don't ask us to violate biblical principles, we are to obey the law.
• Our individualistic society is heavily focused on rights, privileges, and entitlements. Yet a Christian is willing to waive his or her rights for the greater good.
• Some of us need to rethink the relationship between church and government.
• In all things, our example should be that of Jesus Christ (Philippians 2). Whom do we resemble more:
  • an individual bent on his rights, or
  • the one who ceded his rights in order that the poor might be made rich, enemies might be loved and convicted of their lack of love and holiness, and the bleeding, breaking heart of God might be revealed?

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Why immigrants should be welcomed:

• In some of the uncharitable attitudes exhibited in the discussion there is more than a hint of hypocrisy.
  • “Give me your tired, your poor / Your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free. / The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.  / Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me. / I lift my lamp beside the golden door.” (inscription on the Statue of Liberty)
  • We are called to obey the laws of the land, and yet our land (for us Americans) is a nation built of immigrants.
• The Bible calls us to love the alien (Leviticus 19:34), because God loves the alien (Deuteronomy 10:18-19).
  • Yes these laws governed a church-state. Under the new covenant, the church is not a political entity.
  • The Law of Moses teaches us much about the heart of God, yet it is not a platform for civil law in our time.
  • Inflexible policies are rarely in harmony with the principle of love.

Why illegal immigrants should return to their home nations / strive to become legal:

• Lying to immigration authorities can damage one’s conscience. Keeping a clear conscience receives a huge emphasis in the scriptures. Always being “on the run” can erode faith.
• Social services are expensive; somebody has to pay. (And some needs are more legitimate than others.) The scriptures also emphasize pulling one's own weight.
• In most countries there is a way to become a legal resident. It may be better to come clean, plead for clemency, and let God move in his own way.

On the other hand...

• In some cases, going back to countries of origin is unrealistic or even dangerous (political or religious persecution)!
• The issues are complex. Anyone who denies there are any "gray areas" in scripture is unrealistic -- isn't being honest.
• It isn't the church’s job to be vigilantes who cause trouble or hardship for those who, for whatever reasons, have chosen to “hide” from immigration authorities.

Conclusion:

• As long as there is human society on this earth, there will be nations and laws and borders. Without borders, states will be overrun by their enemies.
• Capitalism may work better than socialism, but Christ-followers are called to neither position.
• Christianity was never intended to be elevated to the level of national policy. That's because those on the narrow road will never be more than a small minority in their society.
• Each situation be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• Let us balance justice with compassion. How would Jesus have dealt with the illegal alien?

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Introduction

• There are 13 Josephs in the Bible.
• This Joseph is mentioned 13x in the NT: Matt 1:16, 18-19, 24; 2:13, 19; Luke 1:27; 2:4, 16; 3:23; 4:22; John 1:45; 6:42
• Joseph was among the top 5 popular names in Jesus’ day.
• He is generally given insufficient attention.

Matt 1:18-21... 24-25

• Joseph is descended from the royal line of Judah.
• Joseph is a just man.
• Even after the inexplicable pregnancy of his betrothed, he is determined to protect Mary’s honor.
• He obeys the angelic message.
• The marriage is not consummated, for whatever reason, until after the birth of Jesus. (Other sons and a few daughters follow.)

Matt 2:11

• The Magi meet Mary and Jesus.
• Is Joseph there? He isn't mentioned.

Matt 2:13-15

• Again, Joseph obeys.
• Herod the Great dies in 4 BC.

Matt 2:19-23

• Yet again, Joseph obeys God. Joseph is sort of like Noah—no speaking part (until after the deluge).
• In fear—or common sense?—he withdraws not to Judea (in the south), but to Galilee (in the north).

Luke 2:4-5, 16

• c. 7 AD.
• The shepherds greet Joseph and Mary.

Luke 2:41-52

• Neither she nor Joseph understand what Jesus means when he says “my father’s house.” Or maybe they get it, but only partially.
• Mary is depicted as the thoughtful one.
• This is the last time we meet Joseph.

Joseph’s death and his other children

• Presumably he died before Jesus’ public ministry began—yet perhaps not too soon after Luke 2.
• In Matthew 13 we find that Joseph and Mary had at least 8 children in all. While it is possible all had been born by the time of the events of Luke 2, this seems unlikely.

What is admirable about Joseph

• Somewhat surprisingly, Joseph has no speaking role. (This is in contrast to the some of the rather humorous apocryphal gospels.) Although, in terms of airtime, Mary eclipses Joseph, yet still he is a worth learning about. Of course in a sense he does answer the Lord when spoken to. He answers with his actions—same as you and me.
• He is an obedient man.
  • He obeys the authorities.
  • He observes Torah, respecting and obeying the Scriptures.
  • Joseph also does as instructed in several angelic dreams.
• Joseph is a man of honour. He protects his wife.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

The name Salome

• There are two Salomes in the NT— no surprise, given the popularity of the name in the 1st C.
• Salome comes from shalôm, peace.
• Top 10 first century names: Salome (Shalom, Shalom-Tsiyyon), Simon (Shim’on), Mary (Mariam, Maria), Joseph (Yosef), Judas (Yehudah), Lazarus (El’azar, Eli’ezer), Joezer (Yeho’azar), John (Yohanan), Martha (Marta), Jesus (Yeshua’). Salome is the most popular. 

The unnamed Salome

• First, the granddaughter of Herod the Great.
• She was the daughter of Herodias and Herod Antipas, named in Josephus (Antiquities XVIII, 5.4).
• This Salome is unnamed in the gospels.
• Matt 14:6-20
  • Presumably Salome saw no problem with her mother’s suggestion.
  • This is the power politics at its ugliest.
  • It is easy to imagine that the dance was immodest, given the well-known worldliness of the Herods.
  • The event is also recorded in Mark 6:21-28.

The named Salome

• Second, the mother of James and John: parallel Mark 15:40-41and Matt 27:56.
• Mark 15:40-41
  • Salome was a follower of Jesus during his earthly ministry.
  • She gave financial support for the Lord’s work. (See also Luke 8:1-3.)
  • Salome was among the women who witnessed the crucifixion.
• Mark 16:1-8
  • She was among the first witnesses of the empty tomb—who, with the possible exception of the Roman guards, were all female.
  • What an honor!
• Mother of James and John?
  • Sometimes Salome is identified as the mother of James and John. Given how common a name Salome was, this  could easily have been the name of the two apostles’ mother, whether or not it refers to the same person. Is the identification is correct, we gain further insight from Matt 20:20-22.
    • (In Mark's version of this account, we do not read of the mother prompting her sons to seek positions of honor.)
    • She too had some views about the management of power – which is politics. Not crass or violent like the other Salome and Herodias, yet still based on incorrect premises.

Conclusion

• The two Salomes make for an interesting contrast:
  • One is wordly, the other godly.
  • One is wicked, the other righteous.
  • One opposes God’s people, the other supports them.
  • While the godly Salome was a follower of the Prince of Peace, her worldly namesake had nothing to do with peace.
• Challenge: Get to know the major and minor characters in the NT. (Then tackle the OT!)

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

John Mark

1.  
   1. Identity
      1. Mark may not be John Mark. John was a common name in the Jewish world, and Mark a common name in the Roman world. And having a Greco-Roman name along with a Semitic name was not uncommon.
      2. Even if John Mark is not the writer of Mark, you can still derive some benefit from our study.
      3. Some identify him with the young man who fled naked (Mark 14:52), but this is unsure.
      4. He is associated with Peter, according to Papias (early 2nd C.).
   2. Acts 12:12
      1. Mid-40s AD
      2. Peter returns to John Mark’s house once released from prison.
      3. Prayer meeting. [Listen also to the Rhoda NT Character podcast]
      4. John Mark's family were people of means.
   3. Acts 12:25
      1. He is a missionary.
      2. And connected with Saul and (esp.) Barnabas.
   4. Acts 15:36-41
      1. 49 AD.
      2. Paul felt young John Mark should not join them. Too much pressure? Untested or fragile? In some other unreliable? Not a good chemistry between Saul and John Mark?
      3. The brothers and sisters support Saul/Paul. This must have been hard for Barnabas, who had believed in Saul when no one else did—and for John Mark, too.
      4. Barnabas chooses to remain with Mark.
      5. Cyprus is the ancestral home of Barnabas. Jews had been scattered all over the broader Mediterranean world.
   5. Col 4:10
      1. c.60 AD.
      2. Mark was Barnabas’ cousin. 
      3. Mark has reconnected with Paul, more than a decade after the time of Acts 15. People change in 10 years.
   6. Philemon 24
      1. Mark is numbered among other colleagues of Paul.
      2. He sends greetings to those in the Lycus Valley. He knew many people around the world, e.g. in Cyprus, Syria, and quite likely Egypt.
   7. 2 Tim 4:9-11
      1. 64-68 AD
      2. Not only have Saul and John Mark reconnected, but now the apostle appears to be fond of Mark.
      3. Note: As Paul was executed under Nero, who died in 68 AD, and most scholars date the composition of Mark to around the year 65, it is just possible that Paul had already read Mark.
      4. Paul appreciates Mark’s help, and he praises him.
   8. Further:
      1. Although Mark, like all four gospels, is anonymous, there is an early and strong tradition that Mark was the author. (See Papias.)
      2. Mark was close to Peter. Mark could be “The Gospel of Peter” (except that’s an apocryphal document from the late 2nd).
      3. Peter felt comfortable with Mark recording all his weaknesses.
      4. Mark was a leading figure in Egypt.
         1. Alexandria: Although missionary work there is not mentioned, it is unthinkable that the apostles would have skipped Egypt!
         2. The best candidate is Mark—not only because the Egyptians today insist so loudly that he is the founder of Egyptian Christianity, but because there are, as far as I know, no further claimants to the title.
      5. Mark was a great man, and his name is still highly popular (although I know of only one John Mark).
      6. The combination of writing and missionary experience is a good one.
      7. This is no armchair academic! The same can be said of Matthew (one of the 12), Luke (traveled with Paul), and John (an apostle).

Matthew (Levi) – covered in another talk, so let's be brief…

1.  
   1. Matthew is mentioned in Matthew 9:9 and 10:3, and comes from Capernaum.
   2. His other name is Levi, son of Alpheus (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27).
   3. Matthew collected taxes for Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee. He may have been despised as a collaborator, but his willingness to follow Christ shows his heart was good.
   4. As a tax collector he would have been literate in both Aramaic and Greek, in addition to being good with numbers. We actually know more about Zacchaeus (Luke 19), another tax collector in the first century, than about Matthew.
   5. According to early tradition, Matthew died in Parthia, where he had ministered.
   6. His gospel was the most quoted among the earlier church fathers, just as people are still naming their baby boys after him worldwide.
   7. For more, check out Q&A 1551: Whatever Happened to the Apostles (after N.T. times)?

Luke

1.  
   1. Identity
      1. Doctor
      2. Only Gentile writer of the NT
      3. Wrote ¼ of the NT.
      4. Accompanied Paul—look for the “we passages” in Acts.
      5. He is mentioned three times in the NT, all three times in epistles penned by Paul in the 60s AD.
   2. Col 414
      1. This is the sole verse where we learn that Luke is a doctor.
      2. He was no street hawker, no quack. (If he lacked credentials or ability, it is doubtful attention would be drawn to his shabby vocation.)
      3. His polished Greek attests to a high level of his education.
   3. Philemon 24
   4. 2 Tim 411—accompanies Paul in his final days before execution.
   5. Thoughts
      1. The message of Christ attracted not only the disenfranchised and the educated, but also professionals and even the well-off. (But see 1 Cor 1:26.)
      2. There is a parallel in the lives of the two most influential apostles. Just as Mark accompanied Peter, Luke accompanied Paul. As Mark’s gospel reflects Peter’s life and character, so Luke’s 2-volume work provides us with an abundance of information about Paul, to which we would not otherwise have access.
      3. Like Matthew, Mark, and John, his name is highly popular.
         1. Matthew – from the Hebrew
         2. Mark is a Gentile name, but John is Hebrew
         3. Luke is a Gentile name, from the Latin Lucius.
   6. By tradition, Luke was martyred in the reign of Nero.
      1. Nero orders his hand and arm to be cut off—which Luke miraculously reattaches! Then he is taken out to sea and beheaded, body and head placed into a bag and cast into the sea. His remains wash up on an unnamed island.
      2. His remains are moved to Constantinople in the 350s, later taken to Padua (Italy). In 1354 Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV removed his head from the reliquary and takes it to Prague. Luke's head and hand are placed on display in Rome in the 17th century. It was not uncommon for relics from a single body to show up in multiple cities.
      3. Source: Syriac / Coptic scholar Jacob Lollar, 2020.

John – covered in another talk, so there’s no need to repeat the material here.

1.  
   1. John—Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, Ephesus, Patmos.
   2. Probably buried in Ephesus.
   3. Further study: Q&A 1551: Whatever Happened to the Apostles (after N.T. times)? Also consider the N.T. Character Podcast on John (login required—but not if you listen to my podcast—sign up wherever you get your podcasts).

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Introductions

• Aquila
  • Aquila means "eagle."
  • There are 7 well-known Aquilas in ancient times, including our Aquila.
  • He is always mentioned with his wife.
• Priscilla
  • Her name means "venerable."
  • There are 2 well-known Priscillas—one martyred in the 2nd C, and our Priscilla.
  • She is Priscilla in Acts 18:2, 18, 26. She is Prisca in Rom 16:3; 1 Cor 16:19; 2 Tim 4:19. Priscilla is the diminutive form of Prisca.

Corinth

• Acts 18:1-3
  • Expelled from Rome by emperor Claudius.
    • Christianity as a sect of Judaism.
    • Being God’s people doesn’t necessarily shield us from injustice.
  • Aquila was Jewish. Presumably Priscilla was, too, although that is not made totally clear.
  • Leatherwork: a versatile and wise way to serve in ministry—in the same profession as Paul.

Syria

• Acts 18:18
  • Travel time with Paul
  • Probably headed to Syrian Antioch

Ephesus

• Acts 18:24-26
  • Apollos was on the right track, but apparently off-base on baptism.
  • John’s baptism did not confer the Spirit. Yet it could be argued that Apollos gave strong evidence of the Spirit in his life.
  • The dozen Ephesian disciples in the following chapter seem to have been significantly more in need of correction than Apollos. Paul baptized them. Apollos may have been baptised, esp. if Luke has arranged these two passages to be perfectly parallel. But he may also have placed the two accounts together because they were opposites: the Ephesians needed to be baptized, but not Apollos.
• Priscilla and Aquila taught Apollos
  • Apollos was a powerful figure; learning required humility on this part.
  • He is not too proud to say not to being taught by a woman.
• Priscilla can be viewed as the married counterpart to Phoebe.
  • One is single in ministry.
  • One is married in ministry.
• 1 Cor 16:19
  • 1 Cor was written from Ephesus.
  • P&A were well connected.
  • They led a group together.

Rome

• Perhaps they have returned to Rome after the death of Claudius in 54. (Until the next expulsion?)
• Rom 16:3-4
  • They head the list of Paul's greetings.
  • They were courageous.
  • They were appreciated by many.
  • Aquila and Priscilla were persons of character.
• 2 Tim 4:19
  • Paul’s final letter
  • P&A are greeted at the top of the list, just as in Romans.
  • 1 Tim was written to Ephesus. Perhaps they are back in Ephesus again (?)

Comments  

• The names of Priscilla and Aquila often appear on lesson titles on marriage or couples ministry. That’s understandable. Their working relationship I’m sure was admirable.
• Priscilla and Aquila were tentmakers, or leatherworkers. Self-supporting—very smart! More the norm for Christian leaders than the clergy-laity model, supporting full-time salaries work for leaders, and which nearly every denomination has adopted.
• 1 Cor 9:5-6: Barnabas didn’t take along his wife, if he was married; ditto for Paul. Sometimes one spouse will be fully engaged in missionary work, sometimes both. Or it may be a hybrid situation.
  • The Bible never defines ministry as full-time church work.
  • Nor does the Bible require such persons to be married, or their spouse to work alongside them.
• Priscilla teaches Apollos.
• As suggested, Priscilla may be the married version of Phoebe.
• Going it alone, like Paul (though often he wasn’t alone)—choosing not to marry, like Jesus, or to serve in a special ministry in which your spouse does not share, is totally fine. But if you have the passion and the stamina to be a vocational missionary, Priscilla and Aquila may serve as strong role models for you.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Background

• This study is not primarily about Paul. (For that, please watch the iFaith video sermon on Philemon, or listen to the Philemon unit in The Prison Epistles, or read the NT Chapter Study notes on Philemon, all at this website.) Rather, we will explore the interplay between Philemon and Onesimus.
• This is a personal letter, and to some extent a private letter, but what has happened is most likely public knowledge, and the whatever the result of Paul’s letter, everyone—all those mentioned in the introduction—will know.

Philemon 1-22

• A church meets in Philemon’s home.
• Apphia is likely Philemon’s wife.
• Philemon is introduced as dear friend and collaborer. Paul is not writing to a stranger. He’s not even just writing to an acquaintance. Philemon is a friend—a dear friend.
• Philemon is known outside his immediate home and clearly respected.
  • He has good relationships.
  • He has not only helped many; Philemon is a loving person.
• Onesimus has become Paul’s spiritual son.
  • After running away from Philemon, Paul met him and Onesimus became a Christian.
  • “Useful” (v.11)—a word play.
  • Paul is sending him back, as there are unresolved issues—and feelings.
• Paul is hinting that Philemon should grant Onesimus his freedom, that he may continue to serve the apostle. He expects that Philemon will accede to this request—not under duress, but in keeping with his good heart and character.
• Onesimus has stolen from Philemon.
• Paul hopes that Philemon will remit the debt.
  • I think of the bishop Myriel in Les Miserables (Victor Hugo, 1862). The priest showed kindness to the recently freed prisoner Jean Valjean, who then steals away in the night—after stealing Myriel’s silverware. The bishop not only pardons him—he gives him even more silverware. It is one of many truly touching scenes in this masterpiece.
  • Paul not only hopes for this outcome; he expects it.
• So, what was the outcome? We are not told.
• Philemon is mentioned nowhere else in the NT. This is not, however, the case for Onesimus.

Colossians 4:7-9

• If this is the same Onesimus—I see no reason to doubt it—Paul is as fond of him as ever, and he praises Onesimus for his faith and service to the apostle in his ministry.
• Is Onesimus free?
  • It’s possible Onesimus accompanied Tychicus, delivering the letters of Colossians and Philemon (which some scholars think were written and delivered at the same time). In this case he may not yet have returned to Philemon—unless Philemon’s house church is in Colosse.
  • Or perhaps Colossians is written soon after the liberation of Philemon.

Conclusion

• If Paul’s prediction is correct, Philemon did the right thing. He set Onesimus free.
• His debt to Philemon was canceled.
• The watching church were all edified.
• According to one tradition, Philemon and Onesimus were martyred in the persecution under Nero (64 AD). But Ignatius (107) also mentions an Onesimus (“a man of inexpressible love, and your overseer in the flesh”), which would indicate martyrdom during the persecution under Domitian (95).
• Perhaps a true friendship between equals developed. Philemon and Onesimus were both in Christ, in whom there is neither slave nor free.

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Agabus (Acts 11:27-29)

•  
  • A Jerusalem prophet, like Judas and Silas (Acts 15)
  • Hagabos means "locust"—which is interesting, given the connection of locusts with famines.
  • The famine prediction was made 43/44 AD.
    • The "whole world" is the Roman world, as in Luke 2:1.
    • Claudius was emperor 41-54 AD.
    • Suetonius and Tacitus, Roman historians, refer to this famine.
    • The apostle Paul organized the famine relief collection (2 Cor 8-9) to enable Gentile Christians to share material with the Jewish-background Christians in Judea, where the famine would be especially severe.
    • In the NT, merciful charity is esp. to be given to the family of believers (Gal 6; Matt 25).
  • The Christians took Agabus seriously.
  • The prophecies and the resulting collection led to unity among Christian of different backgrounds.
  • And, like nearly all the prophecies of the OT, this one pointed to the near future (not the distance future).
  • Agabus’s prophecy is highly practical.

Acts 21:10-11

• Agabus makes another prediction.
• He does not tell Paul it’s God’s will for him not to go to Jerusalem.
• Luke and others beg Paul not to go (v.12), breaking the apostle's heart (v.13.), although eventually they conclude this must be God’s will (v.14). See indicated in 1 Cor 14:29; 1 Thess 5:20-21. Note: this Jerusalem visit isn't the same as the famine relief visit. It takes place many years later.

Rhoda (Acts 12:12-16)

• Rhoda = rose. Roses from the island of Rhodes.
• She was a slave girl. Many slaves became Christians in the time of early church.
• Rhoda correctly identifies Peter by voice. (We assume there was no peephole in the door.)
• Yet she fails to open the door!
• She is overjoyed—not neutral or nonchalant. She really cared.
• Rhoda relays the message.
• Yet she is not believed—why?
  • Was it because of her low status?
  • Or her being a woman?
  • Or from a failure of the others to back their prayers with genuine faith?
• Rhoda keeps insisting—she does not back down. She knew the truth, and it was important.
• And she is vindicated—eventually.

Conclusion

• Both Rhoda and Agabus had correctly glimpsed the truth—and made sure that people heard it.
• One was listened to (and respected), the other doubted.
• Do we listen? Do we pick up on the things the Lord may be trying to show us?
• And when we understand, do we make sure others receive the message, or do we easily back down?
• Rhoda was instrumental in Peter being rejoined to the assembly. Agabus was instrumental in tightening the bond between Jewish and Gentile Christians.
• May we all have the insight of Agabus, and the faithful persistence of Rhoda!

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Background

• Lydia is from Asia (Thyatira), but resident in Europe (Philippi). She is the first convert from Europe in the book of Acts.
• Philippi is a Roman colony—there's no synagogue. Still, Jews and those Gentiles attracted to Judaism had regular places of prayer, typically outside the city and out of doors—like at rivers.
• Paul (and Luke) visit the river on the Sabbath, expecting to find worshippers of God. And so they did!

Text: Acts 16:14-15, 40

Lydia

• "Lydia" is a place name – after a region of Asia Minor. (Like calling someone "Kansas" or "Sydney.")
• Lydia is a merchant—reminding us of the Proverbs 31 Woman (Prov 31:12-31).
• Possibly she was a widow, or otherwise well-off / independent.
• She hailed from Thyatira of Revelation (Re 2:18).
• "Worshiper of God" indicates she was drawn to the true God (of Judaism).
• The Lord opened her heart. (See Luke 24:31-32). Her response includes baptism.
• Lydia seems to have been the first convert in Europe!
• She’s mentioned one more time—just 25 verses later. Her home is where Paul and Silas headed after their incarceration (v.40). It is likely that her home, and her network of relationships, served as a sort of beachhead for the gospel.

Final thoughts

• Just because you run a business doesn’t mean you can’t live an active Christian life.
  • Regardless of our degree of busyness with our business, we're never too busy to serve the Lord.
  • We model not only hard work and productivity, but also fairness, respect, gentleness
• If you have been blessed with material goods and a home, make it available for the spread of the gospel. Hospitality is an important virtue. It’s expected of church leaders.
• In evangelism we don’t need to seek atheists and agnostics only—it’s fine to focus on those already on a faith journey. Paul spoke of the gospel as first for the Jew, then the Greek (Rom 1).

For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ website.

Introduction

• Silas is mainly referred to in Acts 15-18. “Silas” first appears in Acts 15:22. He is referred to by his full name, Silvanus, in 2 Cor 1:19; 1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1; and 1 Pet 5:12.
• His ministry is rich:
  • Silas is a prophet—one of two who encourage the faithful in Antioch (15:32). In some sense, bringing the Word of God—or a word from God.
  • He's also a writer. He assisted both Paul (1 Thess 1:1; 2 Thess 1:1) and Peter (1 Pet 5:12).
  • And he is Paul's colleague in ministry. After Paul's disagreement with Barnabas, Paul takes Silas with him (in lieu of Barnabas himself) on the trip to the cities where Paul and Barnabas had established congregations (Acts 15:40). Compared with Barnabas, Silas is perhaps more an assistant than a partner. Nevertheless, especially considering their Philippian experience, they must have been bonded.

Acts 16:19-40

• The situation in Acts 16:16ff. – economic motivation for persecution.
• Notice the verbs: seized, dragged, stripped, beaten, flogged, thrown, fastened.
• Lack of due process. Both Paul and Silas were Roman citizens. When I’m treated unfairly, do I pout?
• I often assumed these were happy songs. Maybe so, yet the Psalms include many darker, though situationally more appropriate, prayers.
• Praying and singing are excellent therapy for the cuts and bruises, and even for the injustice.
• The miraculous release reminds us of Peter’s release from prison in Acts 12.

Further:

• Thessalonica: After Paul and Silas had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia (Acts 17:1). Some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas (17:4a). While they were searching for Paul and Silas to bring them out to the assembly. (17:5b).
• Berea: That very night the believers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea (17:10). When Paul leaves Thessalonica, Silas stays behind with Timothy, and is thereafter associated exclusively with him and only secondarily with Paul (17:14, 17:15b, 18:5a).
• Corinth: Preached there along with Paul and Timothy (Acts 18:5). The trio are also mentioned in 2 Cor 1:19.

For us:

• Don’t be afraid of opposition. An extra reason—besides Jesus’ and Paul’s promise that it is unavoidable, and Peter’s promise that the spirit of glory will rest upon us—is relational. It draws people together when they shareabout their hardships—or share them, going through them together.
• When you’re in trouble, sing (Acts 16:25)!
• Be faithful. Peter tells us Silas is a “faithful” brother.
  • We will not be perfect, but we can be faithful.
  • It’s nice when busy people need us, and can depend on us. Silas was such a person.
• Accept differing degrees of closeness between Christians, even when they spend a significant amount of time together.
  • Consider Jesus and the 3, or Paul and Timothy.
  • And that’s okay! Be content to be the "number two guy."