The Book of Acts part 43 – Final Part Chapter 28 Paul Calls the Chiefs of the Jews, Expounds the Lord Jesus and the Kingdom from OT Scriptures, Their indecision means the withdrawal of the Kingdom offer, Gospel commissioned to the gentles, The revelation of the mystery
The Book of Acts part 42 Chapter 28
Signs following those who believe, Paul shakes of deadly snake and heals the sick on Malta, Why can we not do these miracles? He arrives in Rome
The Book of Acts part 41 Chapter 27
Summing up, Paul sets sail for Rome, Shipwreck on Malta
The Book of Acts part 40 Chapter 25/26
Paul before Festus and Agrippa, The hope of Israel, Appeals unto Caesar.
The Book of Acts part 39 Chapter 24
Paul taken to Caesarea, Accused by the Jews before Felix, The Resurrection of just and unjust,
The Book of Acts part 38 Chapter 23
Paul before the Jewish Council, The resurrection of the dead, The Lord appears to Paul,
The Book of Acts part 37 Chapter 22
The sufferings of the apostle Paul, Jewish uproar at the mention of gentiles, Plan to kill paul.
The Book of Acts part 36 Chapter 21
Paul’s return to Jerusalem, Philip the evangelist, Agabus prophecy, Paul testifies to the crowd.
The Book of Acts part 35 Chapter 20, conc.
Beware of false teachers, The need to study the scriptures, The dispensational divide
The Book of Acts part 34
Chapter 20, contunied
Eutychus Raised from the Dead, Farewell to Ephesian elders, Declared the whole councel of God, Pure from the blood of all men,
The Book of Acts part 33
Chapter 20,
The word ‘ecclesia’, Paul travels through Macedonia, His companions, The first day of the week, The Day of the Lord, The breaking of bread,
The Book of Acts part 32 Chapter 19 continued
Magicians burn their books, The temple of Diana, Opposition from the silversmits.
The Book of Acts part 31 Chapter 19
Paul in Ephesus, The Holy Ghost – The Giver and the Gift, The school of Tyrannus, Special miracles wrought by Paul
The Book of Acts part 30 Chapter 18 continued
To the Jew first, Gentiles – an unnatural branch grafted in, Paul brought before Gallio
The Book of Acts part 29 Chapter 18
Paul arrives in Corinth. Meets Aquila and Pricilla. Joined by Silas and Timothy
The Book of Acts part 28 Recap continued
Introduction to Chapter 18
The Book of Acts part 27
Recap
An overview of the story so far
The Book of Acts part 26
Chapter 17
Paul at Athens, Preaches on Mars Hill, An appointed day of judgement
The Book of Acts part 25
Chapter 16/17
The Philippian Jailer, Trouble in Thessolonica, Bereans search the scriptures, Paul moves on to Athens.
The Book of Acts part 24
Chapter 16
Paul and Silas at Philippi, Conversion of Lydia, Demon possessed girl delivered, Paul and Silas cast into prison.
The Book of Acts part 22
Chapter 15 Gentile believers and the Law, circumcision, Salvation by faith,
2
The Book of Acts part 21
Chapter 14 Paul preaches to the Gentiles, Much Jewish opposition, Paul and Barnabus flee to Lystra, Paul stoned, Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch.
The Book of Acts part 20
Chapter 13 continued Lo-Ammi – not my people, Paul speaks in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia Invited to spesk to Gentiles
The Book of Acts part 19
Chapter 13, Paul’s first missionary journey, Cyprus, Sergius Paulus, Elymas, a Jew struck blind for a season,
The Book of Acts part 18 Chapter 12
James put to death. Peter’s imprisonment. The death of Herod.
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
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.