A series of video studies on The book of Acts
See notes on first 18 chapters: read
The Book of Acts part 17
Chapter 11
Peter gives account at Jerusalem,
Barnabas and Saul at Antioch,
Believers first called ‘Christians’
The Book of Acts part 16
Chapter 10
Cornelius – the first gentile convert,
Peter opens the door to Paul’s ministry to gentiles
The Book of Acts part 15
Chapter 9
Dorcas raised from the dead.
Where was she?
The Book of Acts part 14
Chapter 9,
The Conversion of the apostle Paul
Ananias
The Book of Acts part 13
Chapter 8,
Philip the evangelist,
The Ethopian Eueuch
The Book of Acts part 12
Chapter 8,
Stephen falls asleep awaiting resurrection,
Saul persecutes the church,
Beilivers scattered preaching to none but Jews only
The Book of Acts part 11
The Book of Acts part 9
Chapter 6
Grecians – Greek speaking Jews
Proselytes – Jewish converts
Seven men chosen for daily ministrations
Stephen broought befire the Council
The Book of Acts part 8
Chapter 5
Ananias and Sappira
Barnabas
The Trinity
The Book of Acts part 7
Chapter 4
Signs and wonders
The Resurrection of the dead
The stone which the builders rejected
The Book of Acts part 6
Chapter 3
The First recorded miracles of Peter and Paul and their significane
The Book of Acts part 5
Chapter 2
Partial fulfillment of Joel’s Prophesy
The Braaking of Braad
The Book of Acts part 4
Chapter 2
David not Raised or Ascended,
The Church which is His Body,
The Book of Acts part 3
Chapter 2
Pintecost, Tongues, what did it Mean?, Partial fulfilment of Joel’s prophesy, To the Jews ony,
The Book of Acts part 2
Chapter 1
The Ascension of the Lord Jesus
A replacement for Jidas – Why?
The Church which is His body or the Kingdom?
The Book of Acts part 1
Introduction
The Re-offer of the Kingdom to Israel
“And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee
“To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise”.
The question which is asked is this, did the thief go to “paradise” that day to be with Christ? Almost without a moments hesitation many Christians would answer “yes” but is that indeed what happened? Let us look carefully at the facts. The thief’s request was “Lord remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom”. The thief was no doubt an Israelite and as such knew well the promises of the Old Testament regarding the Messiah and the kingdom He would reign over. He had read the superscription written over the Saviour’s head “This is Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews”. He had watched the Lord and listened to His words and realized He was indeed the King. The thief did not ask to be taken to heaven to be with the Lord when he died that day but for Christ to remember him when he came into His kingdom. Our Lord’s answer to him was regarding that day when His kingdom will be set up on earth otherwise it had no relevance. He promised the thief that he would be part of it when it would come. Later, after His resurrection the Lord told Mary “I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to My God, and your God”. Surely these plain words of scripture are clear, Jesus had not at that point ascended into heaven. The problem lies with the comma and where the translators have placed it in the verse. Greek scholars inform us that in the original greek there are no punctuation marks so it was at the discretion of the translators where they placed it. The words of Christ to the thief are easily understood when we recognize this important fact, He simply told him “I tell you today you will be with me in paradise”. The word “paradise” has the definite article and should read “The paradise”, not referring to heaven at all but the paradise of the kingdom set up on earth. Someone is sure to say that’s what the Jehovah Witnesses teach about this verse. We are not interested in what JW’S say and indeed recognize them as a false cult but we cannot change the true meaning of the verse just to get one over on them. The readers will see as we deal with other texts that it would have been scripturally impossible for the thief to go to heaven that day anyhow, but more on that later.
Luke 23.43 “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee
“To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise”.
The question which is asked is this, did the thief go to “paradise” that day to be with Christ? Almost without a moments hesitation many Christians would answer “yes” but is that indeed what happened? Let us look carefully at the facts.
The thief’s request was “Lord remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom”. The thief was no doubt an Israelite and as such knew well the promises of the Old Testament regarding the Messiah and the kingdom He would reign over. He had read the superscription written over the Saviour’s head “This is Jesus of Nazareth the king of the Jews”. He had watched the Lord and listened to His words and realized He was indeed the King. The thief did not ask to be taken to heaven to be with the Lord when he died that day but for Christ to remember him when he came into His kingdom.
Our Lord’s answer to him was regarding that day when His kingdom will be set up on earth otherwise it had no relevance. He promised the thief that he would be part of it when it would come. Later, after His resurrection the Lord told Mary “I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to My God, and your God”. Surely these plain words of scripture are clear, Jesus had not at that point ascended into heaven.
The problem lies with the comma and where the translators have placed it in the verse. Greek scholars inform us that in the original greek there are no punctuation marks so it was at the discretion of the translators where they placed it. The words of Christ to the thief are easily understood when we recognize this important fact, He simply told him “I tell you today you will be with me in paradise”. The word “paradise” has the definite article and should read “The paradise“, not referring to heaven at all but the paradise of the kingdom set up on earth.
S omeone is sure to say that’s what the Jehovah Witnesses teach about this verse. We are not interested in what JW’S say and indeed recognize them as a false cult but we cannot change the true meaning of the verse just to get one over on them. The readers will see as we deal with other texts that it would have been scripturally impossible for the thief to go to heaven that day anyhow, but more on that later.