The Christian Message

Sunday School Lesson, August 20, 2017 Acts 9:10-20 The contrition of Saul (9:10–19a) 9:10–14 . By means of a vision , God instructed a reluctant Ananias to restore Saul’s sight . He was to go to Saul where he was staying with a man named Judas whose house was on Straight Street . It was one of the two parallel streets that ran from the western to the eastern wall. The first reference to Saul’s birthplace— Tarsus —is given in verse 11 (see the map; cf. comments on v. 30). Interestingly believers were first called saints in the Book of Acts here (v. 13). The church is comprised of “set-apart ones” ( hagiois; cf. “saints” in Rom. 1:1; Eph. 1:1; Phil. 1:1). From Acts 9:14 it is evident that the news of Saul’s coming to persecute believers in Damascus had preceded his arrival, and Ananias feared what Saul might do. 9:15 . The Lord assured Ananias … This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Isra...

Book of Acts 6 | Sunday School Lesson, August 6, 2017 Administration in the church (6:1–7). 6:1. The Grecian Jews could not speak Aramaic, the native tongue of Jews living in Israel. They probably were reared outside the land and were bilingual, speaking both Greek and their native tongues (cf. 2:5–11). Probably Gentile proselytes to Judaism who later became Christians were also in this group. The native Jews were also bilingual in that they spoke Aramaic and Greek (cf. 21:40). In the Jewish world, tensions existed between the Grecian Jews and the Aramaic-speaking Jews; tragically these strains were brought into the church. 6:2. The tables (trapezais) may refer to tables used for serving food or to money tables, that is, banks. Probably it was used here to refer to the place where funds and supplies were administered for the widows. The Twelve recognized their proper priorities in the ministry of the Word of God and prayer (cf. v. 4). 6:3–4. The apostles mentioned three qual...