• We left off in Paul’s letter with home focused on the centrality of Jesus Christ.
• Jesus is the foundation of everything we believe which impacts what we do.

 
PAUL’S MINISTRY
COLOSSIANS 1
24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings

• For the sake of the Gospel… not something evil.

for you,

• You = Gentiles – the very word that got him in this situation of being arrested.

and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for his body, that is, the church.

• All Paul has done in his ministry years has been for the Church.
• The very body/people that he destroyed as a Pharisee.

25 I have become its servant, according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.

• What is this mystery?
• That the Jews and Gentiles are one in Jesus.
• The difference between the Old and the New Covenant.
• During the Old Testament, a Gentile had to become a Jewish proselyte in order to share in the blessings of Israel.
• But in the New Covenant, Jews and Gentiles alike are saved by faith in Jesus Christ.[1]
• Romans 10:11–13 - For the Scripture says, Everyone who believes on him will not be put to shame, 12 since there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, because the same Lord of all richly blesses all who call on him. 13 For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.[2]

27 God wanted to make known among the Gentiles the glorious wealth of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

• God's glory lives above and beyond any type of description or definition.
• You cannot accurately and fully describe in words the glory that Scripture declares.
• "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand?" (Isaiah 40:12).
• Go to your sink, turn it on, and see how much water you can cup in the palm of your hand before it starts spilling out.
• Then, consider that your God can hold all of the liquid in the universe and not spill a single drop!
• Where we chase after glory can vary, but one thing is for certain: this hunger for glory will never ever be satisfied by created things.
• Even if you could experience the most glorious situations, locations, relationships, experiences, achievements or possessions in this life, your heart still would not be satisfied.
• Creation has no capacity whatsoever to bring contentment to your heart.
• Only God can satisfy our hunger and give peace and rest to our hearts.

 

• Mayor Fadness had a breakfast on Wednesday concerning mental health in our community.
• It was actually stated that we don’t have an answer for the root cause of mental health.

 

• The reality is that we can't actually solve our own glory dysfunction.
• Many have tried; none have succeeded on their own.
• Our only hope is for the God of glory to invade our lives and rescue us.
• But not rescue us from culture or media or government – no, he needs to rescue us from us.

 

• This is why Jesus came to earth, lived righteously on our behalf, died for our dysfunction, then rose again conquering sin and death.
• In amazing grace, Jesus willingly came on a glory rescue mission, and because he did, there's hope for us.
• When we admit to our glory thievery and when we cry out for help for our dysfunction, we can finally be free from the never-satisfying quest for worldly glory and live forever in the light of the satisfying glory of God.[3]

28 We proclaim him, warning and teaching everyone with all wisdom (the right use of knowledge), so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

• Galatians 3:8 - Now the Scripture saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith and proclaimed the gospel ahead of time to Abraham, saying, All the nations will be blessed through you.[4]

29 I labor for this, striving with his strength that works powerfully in me.

• It is hard work to walk by the Spirit.
• How do you even do that?
• Trust what you know… not what you feel?
• Feelings in your gut aren’t always true.
• Whose strength is it any way?

 
COLOSSIANS 2
1 For I want you to know how greatly I am struggling (praying) for you, for those in Laodicea, and for all who have not seen me in person.

• Prayer is not our trying to change God’s mind.
• It is learning what is the mind of God and asking accordingly.[5]
• It is a similar response for us as to the families in Texas this week.
• We are here and what are we able to do for them?
• It is Memorial Day, and what are we able to do for the families of the war dead?
• We never forget… and we pray.

2 I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of complete understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ.

• The ultimate goal, for Paul, was to “know the mystery of God, namely Christ” in the fellowship of the church[6]
• “I want” – Paul is stating his purpose which comes from his heart. His passion.
• Paul speaks of intimate relationships and a unity which binds together those who walk in the truth[7]
• Think about the legalism and interpretation issues that were a part of Paul’s background.
• If you stay focused on the Truth… rather than the issues… you will have unforced unity.

3 In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

• Wisdom implies the ability to defend what we understand.
• Knowledge suggests the ability to grasp truth.
• All of these terms were also used by the gnostics.[8]
• The false teachers focused on wisdom; Paul focused on Christ.[9]

 
CHRIST VERSUS THE COLOSSIAN HERESY
4 I am saying this so that no one will deceive you with arguments that sound reasonable.

• Theologically, he was concerned that the Colossians not be deceived by “fine-sounding arguments.”
• The real threat was that they might be deceived by a fast line or by smooth talk.
• The church had to learn to see beyond the fine-sounding language of the heretics to the empty and damning arguments they were presenting.
• Thus, it was to grow in the knowledge of Christ to avoid the deceitful traps of heretical arguments.[10]
• Super Summer training for our students.

5 For I may be absent in body, but I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see how well ordered you are and the strength of your faith in Christ.

• Paul is so taken up with his pastoral task that he is with them ‘in spirit’.
• This means much more than ‘I am thinking of you’ for he feels he is one of them.
• Paul is united with them, committed to them, and commends them.[11]
• “Order” describes the arrangement of the army in ranks, with each soldier in his proper place.
• “strength” – “steadfastness” pictures the soldiers in battle formation, presenting a solid front to the enemy.[12]

6 So then, just as you have received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to walk in him, 7 being rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and overflowing with gratitude.

• Picture of tree?
• A thankful spirit is a mark of Christian maturity. When a believer is abounding in thanksgiving, he is really making progress![13]
• I’ll hang around that person all day long!

8 Be careful that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit based on human tradition, based on the elements of the world, rather than Christ.

• “captive” – pirated
• Paul’s ‘Beware’ alerts them to the seriousness of their situation and their need to be attentive to the possibility of their being misled through a false pursuit of wisdom and knowledge.
• Paul saw this influx of heresy as a planned, organized attack against Christian theology.[14]
• Paul is not speaking against philosophy in general, just the kind that contradicts the gospel message.[15]
• Here is a clue to the Colossian heresy. It included philosophy, traditions of men, science of the day, and worldly thinking.
• Paul is warning them about the kind of teaching that does nothing for the soul and negates the gospel of Jesus Christ because it is ‘not according to Christ’.
• The Colossian heresy promised much but because it was man-made it would not deliver. [16]
• True Christian philosophy “take[s] captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5)[17]

9 For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ,

• Apart from Him is emptiness.
• The very nature of God is fully present in Christ.
• The fullness refers to the completeness of the divine nature, but it does not mean that Christ is all there is of God.[18]

10 and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.

• “filled by Him” – made complete
• This is not “positional”
• When Christ is in you (1:27) there is no room for another on the throne of your heart.[19]

11 You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ,

• In the Old Testament, circumcision was the outward sign of the covenant made with Abraham and the seal of membership of the covenant people of God.
• The ‘spoilers’ said that converts must be circumcised, as it was essential to salvation.
• Gnostic legalism said that the Jewish Law would help the believers become more spiritual.
• If they were circumcised, and if they watched their diets and observed the holy days, then they would become part of the “spiritual elite” in the church.
• Unfortunately, we have people with similar ideas in our churches today.[20]
• But Paul taught that believers need not be circumcised in the flesh to be complete in Christ, as he fulfilled all the Old Testament’s types and shadows, making Judaism obsolete (Eph. 2:14).[21]
• God continually expresses concern for circumcision of the heart (Deut 10:16; Jer 4:4; Rom 2:29 – “On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly,  and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter.”[22])[23]
• Their sinful nature (NIV) (“the body of the flesh”) was decisively put off by Christ’s death and resurrection.
• The word (flesh) usually identified the moral principle which characterizes humanity.
• Thus, the statement here refers to putting off the fallenness that guides people naturally,[24]
• What people were in Adam—sinful, fallen, and corrupt—was destroyed by Christ.
• Now “in Christ” a believer is a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).
• And having a new Head a believer has a new authority for his life—not the Law of Moses but the life of Christ.[25]
• The NIV translation may confuse the English reader by calling the state of pre-Christian existence a “nature.”
• In fact, the term “nature” is an awkward one since it seldom communicates effectively.
• If the term “nature” means a characteristic way of acting, the translation “nature” is correct.
• At conversion, a believer begins to act a new way, giving evidence of a new nature.
• The term, however, is confusing because of the way it is often used by modern Christians.
• Many refer to an old nature and a new nature which are co-resident within the believer.
• Such an understanding confuses this passage.
• The old nature has been put off at the believer’s circumcision, and it is no longer present.[26]

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 122). Victor Books.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Ro 10:11–13). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] https://www.paultripp.com/articles/posts/the-doctrine-of-glory-article?gclid=CjwKCAjws8yUBhA1EiwAi_tpERnCUSkwXBgbjyVkocW_FbVrR5Yr5QCcBKy88wfggxQpAviqBmvUJRoCQ10QAvD_BwE
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Ga 3:8). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 123). Victor Books.
[6] Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Vol. 32, p. 245). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[7] McNaughton, I. S. (2006). Opening up Colossians and Philemon. Opening Up Commentary (p. 37). Leominster: Day One Publications.
[8] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 123). Victor Books.
[9] Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon (Vol. 32, p. 245). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[10] Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. The New American Commentary (Vol. 32, p. 246). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[11] McNaughton, I. S. (2006). Opening up Colossians and Philemon. Opening Up Commentary (p. 40). Leominster: Day One Publications.
[12] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Col 2:4). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[13] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Col 2:4). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[14] Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. The New American Commentary (Vol. 32, p. 252). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[15] Barry, J. D., Grigoni, M. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Col 2:8). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[16] McNaughton, I. S. (2006). Opening up Colossians and Philemon. Opening Up Commentary (p. 42). Leominster: Day One Publications.
[17] Geisler, N. L. (1985). Colossians. (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Eds.)The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 677). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[18] Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. The New American Commentary (Vol. 32, p. 255). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[19] McNaughton, I. S. (2006). Opening up Colossians and Philemon. Opening Up Commentary (p. 43). Leominster: Day One Publications.
[20] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Col 2:11). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[21] McNaughton, I. S. (2006). Opening up Colossians and Philemon. Opening Up Commentary (p. 45). Leominster: Day One Publications.
[22] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian standard version. (2009). (Ro 2:29). Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.
[23] Barry, J. D., Grigoni, M. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Col 2:11). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
[24] Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. The New American Commentary (Vol. 32, p. 258). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[25] Geisler, N. L. (1985). Colossians. (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Eds.)The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 677). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.
[26] Melick, R. R. (1991). Philippians, Colossians, Philemon. The New American Commentary (Vol. 32, pp. 258–259). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Crisis in Colosse

• The church in Colosse is having problems.
• Some of the believers are not getting along and are mistreating one another.
• Still worse, false teachers have come into the church and are subverting the gospel of grace.
• They are introducing a bizarre form of Jewish legalism mixed with a counterfeit spirituality.
• They are teaching the Colossians the following: In order to experience God’s “fullness,” you must observe the ceremonial laws of the OT.
• You must observe special “holy” days and eat only “clean” foods.
• You must also be circumcised.
• Union with God is evidenced by mystical visions and angelic visitations.
• What you handle, taste, and/or touch can either help or harm your union with God.
• If you handle, taste, or touch that which is “unclean,” you will lose your union with God and will never experience His fullness.
• The false teaching has also spread to the church in Laodicea.
• Epaphras, the founder of the Colossian and Laodicean churches, is troubled by this spiritual assault.
• So he sails to Rome to get advice from Paul.

 

• At the same time, Onesimus (Philemon’s slave) runs away. But he does not run away empty-handed. He steals money from Philemon! (This is a capital offense.)
• Epaphras finds Onesimus and takes him to Rome with him, believing that Paul can help him.
• Onesimus is not a Christian, but he remembers Paul to be a kind man and believes that he will help him.
• On his way to Rome to visit Paul, Epaphras (also called Epaphroditus) stops at Philippi to visit the church there.
• The church in Philippi is greatly encouraged by Epaphras, and it sends him off to Rome with a small fortune as a love offering for Paul.
• This is the fourth time the church in Philippi has helped Paul monetarily. The Philippians are deeply concerned for Paul and ask Epaphras to let them know how he is doing.

 

• Epaphras and Onesimus continue toward Rome, but Epaphras becomes deathly ill on the way.
• Yet despite his illness, Epaphras persists on to Rome for the Lord’s sake.
• Onesimus has a message sent to the church in Philippi, letting them know of Epaphras’ sickness and requesting prayer for him.
• When Epaphras arrives in Rome, he hands Paul the financial gift. He informs Paul of the love the Philippians have for him and gives him an update on their progress.
• He also tells him about the church in Colosse.
• Epaphras joyfully tells him of the love the Colossian believers have for one another.
• But he also gives Paul a full report of the problems that the churches in Colosse, Laodicea, and Philippi are having.
• He also lets him know that Archippus—the son of Philemon and Apphia—is deeply discouraged and has stopped ministering to the church in Colosse and Laodicea like he once did.
• Upon hearing all the bad news, Paul struggles in prayer for the church in Colosse as well as for the churches in Laodicea and Philippi.
• Onesimus is with Epaphras, and Paul leads him to Christ.
• Onesimus turns out to be a real servant to Paul, and Paul grows to depend on him.
• When the church in Philippi gets word of Epaphras’ sickness, they write Paul a letter inquiring about Epaphras’ health.
• Paul will now write three letters, and he will dictate them all to Timothy to scribe.
• Paul will send all three letters by the hand of Tychicus.
• He instructs Tychicus to encourage the churches and give them an update on his (Paul’s) prison situation.
• Onesimus will return to Colosse with Tychicus and a letter that Paul will write to Philemon.
• The letters Paul writes at the same time (61 AD) are Colossians, Philemon & Ephesians.

 
COLOSSIANS
GREETING

• Do the heavenly bodies have any influence over our lives? The millions of people who consult their horoscopes each day would say, “Yes!”
• At one point, in the United States, there were about 1,750 daily newspapers, and 1,220 of them carried astrological data!
• Is there any relationship between diet and spiritual living?
• Does God speak to us immediately, in our minds, or only through His Word, the Bible?
• Do the Eastern religions have something to offer the evangelical Christian?
• These are contemporary questions and issues that Paul was dealing with in 61 AD.
• It was a combination of Eastern philosophy and Jewish legalism, with elements of what Bible scholars call gnosticism (NOS-ti-cism).
• This term comes from the Greek word gnosis (KNOW-sis) which means “to know.” (An agnostic is one who does not know.)
• The gnostics were the people who were “in the know” when it came to the deep things of God.
• They were the “spiritual aristocracy” in the church.
• The emphasis in Ephesians is on the church, the body of Christ; but the emphasis in Colossians is on Christ, the Head of the body.[1]
• It is not much different today.
• They were dealing with different agendas of the times and all Paul wanted to focus on was Jesus.
• Jesus was Paul’s only agenda.
• It becomes a trust factor that the Spirit will deal with the agendas rather than ourselves.
• What we know… and believe… impacts how we behave.
• So we will continue to teach Jesus here at Leavener.

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by God’s will, and Timothy our brother:

• Paul later mentions that he is the writer of this letter but he is claiming Timothy’s spiritual authority as well here.

2 To the saints in Christ at Colossae, who are faithful brothers and sisters.

• The city is never named in the Book of Acts because Paul did not start the Colossian church, nor did he ever visit it.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
 
THANKSGIVING
3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints 5 because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. You have already heard about this hope in the word of truth (it can be trusted), the gospel 6 that has come to you. It is bearing fruit and growing all over the world, just as it has among you since the day you heard it and came to truly appreciate God’s grace.

• All over the world there is not much that is the same… shelter, food, clothing, education, etc.
• But God’s grace is the same no matter where in the world.
• Grace has been made available for the whole world!

7 You learned this from Epaphras, our dearly loved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 and he has told us about your love in the Spirit.

• Faith, hope & love… the greatest of these is “love”
• When you recall that Paul wrote this letter in prison, his attitude of thanksgiving is even more wonderful.

 
PRAYER FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH
9 For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled (you are complete) with the knowledge of his will (to walk by the Spirit) in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, (comes from God) 10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: (we understand from the Spirit… then we walk) bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great endurance and patience, joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light.

• The moment you believed in Jesus, you were given everything you ever needed.
• You don’t have to keep updating it. You have it all right now!
• I have a smartphone… It is called a smartphone for a reason. It doesn’t make me smart.
• What if all I used it for was calling people.
• I’d be missing out on what I have been given.
• I don’t need a new phone… I just need to understand and use what I have.
• You’ve been given this powerful gift that produces all these things mentioned. You just have to use the gift.

13 He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son he loves. 14 In him we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

• Jesus didn’t rescue us from bondage to have us wander aimlessly.
• He freed us and gave us a Spirit to follow.

 
THE CENTRALITY OF CHRIST
15 He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn (not time but rank) over all creation.
16 For everything was created by him,
in heaven and on earth,
the visible and the invisible,
whether thrones or dominions
or rulers or authorities--
all things have been created through him and for him.

•  For centuries, the Greek philosophers had taught that everything needed a primary cause, an instrumental cause, and a final cause.
• The primary cause is the plan, the instrumental cause the power, and the final cause the purpose.
• When it comes to Creation, Jesus Christ is the primary cause (He planned it), the instrumental cause (He produced it), and the final cause (He did it for His own pleasure).[2]

17 He is before all things,
and by him all things hold together.
18 He is also the head of the body, the church;
he is the beginning,
the firstborn from the dead,
so that he might come to have
first place in everything.

• The church had its origin in Him, and today it has its operation in Him.[3]

19 For God was pleased to have
all his fullness dwell in him,
20 and through him to reconcile
everything to himself,
whether things on earth or things in heaven,

• What is to be reconciled in heaven?
• Revelation 12:10 - Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say, The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have now come, because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been thrown down. [4]

by making peace
through his blood, shed on the cross.
21 Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions. 22 But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death,  to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him--23 if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.[5]

• Quit going back to your flesh (patterns) and realize the transformation that has already occurred.
• Paull will remind them over and over what they have been taught as the Good News.
• They are constantly being told something different.

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 104). Victor Books.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 116). Victor Books.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 116–117). Victor Books.
[4] Christian Standard Bible (Re 12:10). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible (Col 1:1–23). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.

To be posted...

• We left off with Paul crashing into a sandbank off the shore of Malta.
• The ship is destroyed but all 276 people on board survived, just as an angel told Paul.
• Show Maps

 
MALTA’S HOSPITALITY
ACTS 28
1 Once safely ashore, we then learned that the island was called Malta (means refuge).

• Malta is 18 miles long and 8 miles wide.
• Located 60 miles south of Sicily.

2 The local people showed us extraordinary kindness.

• If you didn’t speak Greek, then you were considered “barbarian”.

They lit a fire and took us all in, since it was raining and cold. 3 As Paul gathered a bundle of brushwood and put it on the fire,

• Paul was the reason they all survived.
• They should have placed him high on a pedestal.
• But he was a servant of Jesus Christ.

a viper came out because of the heat and fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the local people saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to one another, “This man, no doubt, is a murderer. Even though he has escaped the sea, Justice has not allowed him to live.”

• Luke records chronologically.
• So they are saying this while the snake is still hanging on to Paul’s hand.

5 But he shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm. 6 They expected that he would begin to swell up or suddenly drop dead. After they waited a long time and saw nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

• Similar to what happened in Lystra – Acts 14:6-18)
• Paul healed a man who hadn’t walked since birth and the locals thought he was some Greek god.

 
MINISTRY IN MALTA
7 Now in the area around that place was an estate belonging to the leading man of the island, named Publius (pub-lee-ose), who welcomed us and entertained us hospitably for three days. 8 Publius’s father was in bed suffering from fever and dysentery (OK Google: bloody diarrhea). Paul went to him, and praying and laying his hands on him, he healed him. 9 After this, the rest of those on the island who had diseases also came and were healed. 10 So they heaped many honors on us, and when we sailed, they gave us what we needed.

• Wintered there for 3 months. 60-61 AD.
• Blessed with generous gifts because they had arrived with nothing.
• Matthew – Tax collector & disciple of Jesus

        Date: 58-62 AD
        Audience: Jews
        Location: Antioch
        Portrays Jesus as: King of Jews

• Mark – John Mark that traveled with Paul

        Date: 58-62 AD
        Audience: Romans
        Location: Rome
        Portrays Jesus as: The Servant of Jehovah

• Luke – Physician & traveler with Paul (wrote Acts)

        Written in chronological order.
        Date: 60-63 AD
        Audience: Greeks/Gentile/Theophilis
        Location: Rome
        Portrays Jesus as: The Son of Man

• John – written while exile in Patmos

        Date: 80-90 AD
        Audience: Jews
        Portrays Jesus as: Jesus, the Son of God
John wrote more about what Jesus said and who. He is, unlike the other Gospels who wrote about what Jesus did.
 
ROME AT LAST
11 After three months we set sail in an Alexandrian ship that had wintered at the island, with the Twin Gods as its figurehead. 12 Putting in at Syracuse, we stayed three days. 13 From there, after making a circuit along the coast, we reached Rhegium (ray-ee-om). After one day a south wind sprang up, and the second day we came to Puteoli (Puh-tee-o-lee).

• In Greek mythology, “Castor and Pollux” were the names of the twin sons of Zeus and were revered as the protectors of men on the sea.
• Many Roman ships bore their image as a plea for safety.
• Show map
• It was 80 miles to Syracuse, another 70 to Rhegium, and about 180 to Puteoli, the port of Naples.
• This time the “south wind” was exactly what they needed in order to make the voyage quickly and safely.[1]

14 There we found brothers and sisters and were invited to stay a week with them.

• Julius granted permission for this.

And so we came to Rome. 15 Now the brothers and sisters from there had heard the news about us and had come to meet us as far as the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns.

• Julius and his party took the famous Appian Way and traveled 125 miles from Puteoli to Rome.
• The first group of Christians met Paul at the Forum of Appius, about 43 miles from Rome; and the second group met him at the Three Taverns, 10 miles nearer to the city.[2]

When Paul saw them, he thanked God and took courage.

• It was like walking into Pinheads on a Sunday AM.
• His letter to Rome was written 4 years ago and he finally arrived.
• The Christians in Rome were waiting for his arrival. They just didn’t know it would be as a prisoner.

16 When we entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

• Paul finally arrives in Rome and is placed under house arrest.
• He lives in his own private lodging on the third floor of a Roman insula (apartment) and is chained by his wrist to a Roman guard.
• The guard is relieved every four hours.
• Each guard belongs to the Praetorian guard, the emperor’s personal bodyguards. (Philippians 1:13)
• Paul will quickly become a talking point among them.
• Thankfully, Paul is allowed to receive visitors.

 
PAUL’S FIRST INTERVIEW WITH ROMAN JEWS
17 After three days he called together the leaders of the Jews.

• Everywhere Paul went in Acts, he went to the Jews first.
• He traveled to all the synagogues.
• Now he has called for the all the leaders of the synagogues in Romes.

When they had gathered he said to them, “Brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or the customs of our ancestors, I was delivered as a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans. 18 After they examined me, they wanted to release me, since there was no reason for the death penalty in my case. 19 Because the Jews objected, I was compelled to appeal to Caesar; even though I had no charge to bring against my people. 20 For this reason I’ve asked to see you and speak to you. In fact, it is for the hope of Israel that I’m wearing this chain.”

• The apostle made it clear that his appeal to Caesar must not be interpreted as an indictment against his nation.
• Actually, he was a prisoner on behalf of his nation and “the hope of Israel.”

21 Then they said to him, “We haven’t received any letters about you from Judea. None of the brothers has come and reported or spoken anything evil about you. 22 But we want to hear what your views are, since we know that people everywhere are speaking against this sect.”
 
THE RESPONSE TO PAUL’S MESSAGE
23 After arranging a day with him, many came to him at his lodging. From dawn to dusk he expounded and testified about the kingdom of God. He tried to persuade them about Jesus from both the Law of Moses and the Prophets.

• On the day appointed, Paul spent “from morning till evening” explaining the Scriptures and revealing Christ in the Law and the Prophets.
• He had “dialogued” this way with the Jews in one synagogue after another, and now he was sharing the Word with the leaders of many synagogues in Rome.[3]

24 Some were persuaded by what he said, but others did not believe.
25 Disagreeing among themselves, they began to leave after Paul made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah 26 when he said,
Go to these people and say:
You will always be listening,
but never understanding;
and you will always be looking,
but never perceiving.
27 For the hearts of these people
have grown callous,
their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
otherwise they might see with their eyes
and hear with their ears,
understand with their heart
and turn,
and I would heal them.  (Isaiah 6:9-10)​

• It is one thing to listen and quite something else to hear, and there is a great difference between seeing and perceiving.
• If anybody should have possessed spiritual understanding, it was these Jewish leaders, but their hearts were dull and hard.
• Too often those who enjoy the most spiritual privileges are not ready when they must make spiritual decisions.[4]

 
28 Therefore, let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”

• Paul always spoke the Truth in what he believed no matter who is audience was.
• But at some point, you walk away and speak to the people who will listen to you.
• This is one of the major themes of Acts, how the Gospel moved from the Jews to the Gentiles and from Jerusalem to Rome.[5]
  
  

PAUL’S MINISTRY UNHINDERED
30 Paul stayed two whole years in his own rented house.

• He was responsible for his own rent money!

And he welcomed all who visited him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. [6]

• During these two years in Rome, Paul wrote Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philemon.
• He expected to be released (Phil. 1:23–27; 2:24; Phile. 22) and most students agree that he was.
• During this time, he had Timothy with him (Phil. 1:1; 2:19; Col. 1:1), as well as John Mark, Luke, Aristarchus, Epaphras, Justus, and Demas (Col. 4:10–14; Phile. 24).
• He also met Philemon’s runaway slave Onesimus and led him to faith in Christ (Phile. 10–21).
• Epaphroditus brought a gift to him from the Philippian church and almost died ministering to Paul (Phil. 2:25–30; 4:18).
• Tychicus was Paul’s “mailman” who delivered Ephesians (Eph. 6:21), Colossians, and Philemon (Col. 4:7–9).
• Dr. Luke ended his book before Paul’s case had been heard, so he could not give us the results of the trial.
• We have every reason to believe that Paul was indeed released and that he resumed his ministry, probably traveling as far as Spain (Rom. 15:24, 28).
• During this period (a.d. 63–66/67), he wrote letters to Timothy and Titus.
• He left Titus in Crete (Titus 1:5), Trophimus sick in Miletus (2 Tim. 4:20), and Timothy in Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3).
• He planned to meet some of his helpers at Nicopolis (Titus 3:12–13) after he had visited some of the churches he had established.
• Wherever he went, he sought to bring Jews and Gentiles to faith in Jesus Christ.
• He was arrested again, probably about the year 67, and this time his situation was changed drastically.
• He did not live in a house, but was chained in a prison and treated like a criminal (2 Tim. 1:16; 2:9).
• Winter was coming, and he asked Timothy to bring him his cloak (2 Tim. 4:13).
• But the saddest thing about this second imprisonment was his being forsaken by the believers in Rome (2 Tim. 4:16–17).
• The great apostle to the Gentiles was abandoned by the very people he came to assist.
• Even Demas forsook him, and only Luke was with him (2 Tim. 4:10–11).
• The family of Onesiphorus ministered to his needs (2 Tim. 1:16–18), but he longed for Timothy and Mark to come to be at his side (2 Tim. 1:4; 4:9, 21).
• Paul knew that the end was coming (2 Tim. 4:6–8).

Tradition tells us that he was beheaded at Rome in 67/68 AD.[7]

[1] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 510). Victor Books.
[2] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 511). Victor Books.
[3] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 511). Victor Books.
[4] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 511). Victor Books.
[5] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 511). Victor Books.
[6] Christian Standard Bible (Ac 28:1-31). (2020). Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 511–512). Victor Books.