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Agape Bible Study Acts 9
Chapter 9: The Conversion of Saul
The LORD shall be your light forever; your God shall be your glory.
Isaiah 60:19b
In last week's lesson the Church carried the Gospel into Judea and Samaria (8:4-40). This week's lesson begins with the conversion of St. Paul (Saul), introduces the spread of the Gospel to the Gentiles, and ends with the persecution of the Church and the death of Herod Agrippa I.
- The conversion of Saul (9:1-30)
- Peter's Miracles (9:31-43)
- Cornelius' Vision (10:1-8)
- Peter's Vision (10:9-23)
- Peter's Mission to the Gentiles in Caesarea (10:24-43)
- The Baptism of the First Gentiles (10:44-49)
- Peter's Defense of the Baptism of Gentiles (11:1-18)
- The Spread of the Gospel to the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria (11:19-30)
- The Persecution of the Church and Death of the Persecutor (12:1-24)
Acts 9:1-9 ~ Saul's Conversion
Most Christians know him as the great Gentile evangelist St. Paul, but he was born with the Hebrew name Saul, likely named after another member of the tribe of Benjamin, Saul, the first King of Israel. He did not begin as a hero of Christians but as their greatest antagonist.
- He was a Pharisee of the tribe of Benjamin.
- He was raised in Jerusalem and studied the Law with the great rabbi Gamaliel.
- He had family living in Jerusalem.
- As an agent of the Sanhedrin and the chief priests, he arrested men and women followers of Jesus in their synagogues, in their homes in Jerusalem, and imprisoned them.
- He punished Christians in an attempt to force them to blaspheme.
- He cast votes against Christians he arrested in the Sanhedrin to be put to death.
- He had authority to pursue Christians who had escaped to foreign cities like Damascus.
- He was a Roman citizen
Question: How did Moses define the two paths or ways in his homily to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 30:15-20? How is this concept similar to Jesus' definition of the "way" in John 14:6 and how is it different?
Answer: Moses told the Israelites they had the choice between obedience to the Law which was the path of life or disobedience to the Law which was the path of death. Jesus also taught about the two paths "one leading to destruction and the other to eternal life. However, the path to life is no longer obedience to the Old Covenant Law. The path to life is now Jesus Christ, the Redeemer and Savior. He is "the Way."
The doctrine of the "Two Ways" is found in the opening chapter of the Church's first catechism, "The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles (commonly called the Didache) and its Latin translation the Doctrina Apostolorum (Didache 1:1-6:3), and also in the Letter of Barnabas, 18-21.
Saul had persecuted Christians because he believed he was protecting the true faith of the Sinai Covenant against a dangerous heresy. Now he has discovered that he and his brother Jews had murdered their Messiah and persecuted His "faithful remnant" of Israel: For out of Jerusalem shall come a remnant, and from Mount Zion, survivors. The zeal of the LORD of hosts shall do this (Is 37:32). Saul must have been filled with the darkness of remorse that went deeper than his physical darkness during those three days, however his praying and fasting during this period shows that he is open to God's revelation and will be obedient to God's commands.
Acts 9:10-19a ~ Saul's Baptism
Saul's reputation as a persecutor of Christians has spread to Damascus. Saul has persecuted Christ's disciples and is responsible for them being condemned to death. It is interesting that the Damascus disciples had advanced notice that Saul had letters of extradition from the religious authorities in Jerusalem to arrest Christians. Ananias has every reason to fear Saul and he expresses his fears to God.
Acts 9:19b-22 ~ Saul Preaches in Damascus
In choosing Saul as His instrument to proclaim the Gospel, God chose a man like Moses who was well educated. Saul had both the formal education and the intellectual skills to teach difficult theological concepts and to debate in the tradition of the Hellenist intellectuals. In Acts 22:3 we will learn that Saul studied with one of the most gifted rabbis of his time, Rabban Gamaliel the Elder, a teacher of the Law who was also a member of the Sanhedrin (also see Acts 5:34). Saul immediately put those skills to work proving to the Jews of Damascus that Jesus is the promised Messiah who is also the Son of God. This is the only place in Acts where Luke uses the title "Son of God" and Saul's use of this title in proclaiming the Jesus Christ the divine Messiah probably refers to Psalms 2:7 LXX. Saul/Paul will quote from this citation in his first homily at Antioch in Pisidia in Acts 13:33.
Acts 9:23-31 ~ Saul goes to Jerusalem to meet the Apostles
Question: According to Galatians 1:15-17 how long was Saul in Damascus before going to Jerusalem?
Answer: According to the letter Saul/Paul wrote the Galatians, he stayed in Damascus only a short time before going to live in Arabia. He then returned to Damascus where he proclaimed the Gospel and after three years went to Jerusalem to meet the Apostles.
Saul's preaching in Jerusalem got him into trouble again, especially with the Hellenists. This was the same group of Greek culture Jews who condemned St. Stephen. The Christians smuggled him out of Jerusalem and got him to the port at Caesarea where they sent him to Tarsus.
Acts 9:32-42 ~ Peter Heals and Preaches in Lydda, Sharon and Joppa (Jaffa)
St. Peter, fulfilling his role as the Vicar of Christ, regularly visited the different faith communities that were founded in Judea and Samaria. Lydda is located in the plain below Jerusalem, about 2-3 miles from the road connecting Joppa and Jerusalem and about 11 miles east of Joppa and modern Tel Aviv. Sharon is the coastal plain of northwest Israel and extends about 50 miles along the Mediterranean coast from Mt. Carmel in the north to Joppa in the south. Joppa, about 38 miles from Jerusalem, was Judea's main seaport. Today it is known as Jaffa and is a suburb of Tel Aviv. Peter healed a paralyzed man in Lydda and brought a dead woman back to life in Joppa.
Question: What two miracles that Jesus' performed did Peter repeat in Lydda and Joppa?
Answer: He has repeated the miracle of Jesus in Luke 5:18-25 when Jesus cured the paralyzed man and in Luke 8:52-56 when Jesus raised Jairus' daughter from the dead.
The next two stories introduce the sub-theme that genuine faith is demonstrated by good deeds. Tabitha is the woman's Aramaic name and Dorcas her Greek name. The women had washed Tabitha's body in preparation for burial. This was the practice for those who died of natural causes. In Jerusalem the body had to be buried the same day the person died, but outside of Jerusalem up to three days between death and burial were allowed.
Notice that Luke makes a point of telling us that Tabitha was devoted to doing good deeds and in almsgiving (9:36) and her friends wanted Peter to see samples of the items she made for the poor in her faith community (9:39).
Question: Why did they want Peter to see samples of her good works in the tunics and cloaks she made? What did St. James say about works and faith in James 2:24, 26 and what does Sirach 3:30 day about the value of almsgiving?
Answer: Her good deeds were evidence of her faith. St. James wrote that a person is justified/saved by works and not by faith alone. He also wrote: "for just as a body without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works in dead." Sirach wrote: Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins.
Peter continued to stay in Joppa at the house of a man who was a tanner by profession. Tanning involved treating the skins of dead animals and was considered an "unclean" occupation; to come in contact with any form of death, including dead animals, made one ritually unclean (Lev 11:26-28, 39-40; 45-47). The processing of the hides was probably in close proximity with the living quarters and so the premises would have had a bad smell. That Peter stayed with a tanner shows his humility and lack of pretentiousness. In addition, Peter is already acknowledging that the old ritual purity laws of the Sinai Covenant are no longer binding in the New Covenant where Christ has cleansed and purified His people. The theme of faith demonstrated by works that began in the story of Tabitha continues into the next story of the first Roman Gentile convert.
Agape Bible Study Romans 15-19
15:1-13: Christ, Our Example of Christian Love and Unity
In this final teaching portion of his letter to the Roman Christians Paul appeals again for Christian unity and harmony based upon the example that Jesus set for us in His love and unity which was motivated by giving glory to God. Paul establishes this unity in a threefold purpose of Christ's ministry to serve the Covenant (circumcised) people of God = the Jews, "for salvation comes from the Jews." John 4:22c:
- To show God's faithfulness / truthfulness
- To confirm God's promises to the Patriarchs
- To bring the Gentiles into the family of God
Romans 15:1-13: Christ is Our Example of Christian Charity, Acceptance, and Solidarity
Question: How many times does Paul quote the Old Testament Scriptures in Romans 15:1-13?
Answer: Paul quotes the Septuagint translation of Old Testament Scriptures 5 times. Those complete passages are found in Psalm 69:10*; 18:49*; Deuteronomy 32:43; Psalm 117:1*; and Isaiah 11:10 [*in some translations the Psalms quotation may be different; i.e. in the New American the 69:10 passage is found in 69:11 & Psalms 18:49 is 18:50]. The New Jerusalem Bible quotations:
1. Psalm 69:10 | "I mortify myself with fasting, and find myself insulted for it..." |
2. Psalm 18:49 | "For this I will praise you, Yahweh, among the nations, and sing praise to your name." |
3. Deuteronomy 32:43 | "Heavens rejoice with him, let all the children of God pay him homage! Nations, rejoice with his people, let God's envoys tell of his power! For he will avenge the blood of his servants, he will return vengeance to my foes, he will repay those who hate him and purify his people's country." The literal translation of this final line is "he will perform the rite of expiation over his people's country" |
4. Psalm 117:1 | "Alleluia! Praise Yahweh, all nations, extol him, all peoples..." |
5. Isaiah 11:10 | "That day, the root of Jesse, standing as a signal for the peoples, will be sought out by the nations and its home will be glorious." |
Question: How are the "strong" identified in the first two verses of Romans chapter 15?
Answer: As those who carry their own burdens and then in Christian love also willingly offer to carry the burdens of their "weaker" brothers and sisters.
In Romans 15:3 Paul calls upon the Roman Christians to look to Jesus as their example of Christian love and self-sacrifice and to willingly offer themselves to bear the burdens of others. Jesus did not seek to please Himself. In the whole of His ministry Christ, who was "strong," made Himself weak and humble for our sake, "But he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, becoming as human beings are; and being in every way like a human being, he was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross."
Romans 15:14-21: Paul's Apostolic mission in writing to the Christians of Rome
Paul's compliment to the Roman church in verse 14 recalls his compliment to the Roman Christians when he began his letter in Romans 1:8 when he wrote: "First I give thanks to my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because your faith is talked of all over the world." Paul is acknowledging that the Roman Christians are a strong community of faithful believers, knowledgeable in the Gospel and diligent in their obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ. But, he reminds them ["to refresh your memories"], that as an Apostle, chosen by Jesus Christ, he has a duty and a calling by the Holy Spirit to instruct and correct them.
Question: How far does Paul write that he has carried the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
Answer: From Jerusalem to Illyricum. The Roman province of Illyricum is modern day Albania. Paul has accomplished the mission set for him by the Holy Spirit, having spread the Gospel from one end of the eastern half of the Roman Empire to the other. Now the Holy Spirit will challenge him to complete the same pattern in the West, expanding the Gospel message from the ends of the West in Spain to the other end of the western Roman Empire which would be Britain. Was this part of Paul's broader plan to repeat his success for spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the west?
Question: What does Paul say is his rule in preaching the Gospel?
Answer: He is strictly a missionary who founds Christian communities and does not build on someone else's foundation. He establishes the Church and then leaves it to others to continue nurturing the growth of the communities he founded.
Romans 15:22-33: Paul's future plans
Again Paul announces his intention of visiting the Roman Christians as he previously mentioned in the opening of his letter in Romans 1:8-15.
Romans 16:1-16: Greetings to Roman Christians
"All the churches of Christ send their greetings." This form of greeting is not found anywhere else in Paul's letters. This special greeting again illustrates the position of honor of the Roman church whose "faith is talked of all over the world." Romans 8:1.
In Romans 16:1 Paul commends to the Roman congregation the deaconess Phoebe who Paul writes of endearingly not as "his" sister but as "our" sister, meaning "our sister" in the precious Blood of Jesus the Christ'it is a kinship affiliation that is stronger than the physical bond in the natural family. The title he assigns her, deaconess, identifies Phoebe to the Roman church as a woman of importance "in service" to the Church in the East. She may have been a woman of independent wealth because Paul mentions that she has come to the aid of many people, including himself. From this passage most scholars believe Phoebe was entrusted by Paul with delivering this most important letter to the Roman church. Paul must have placed great confidence and trust in this holy woman.
After his request for Phoebe's welcome Paul greets a large number of Roman Christians'with many of whom he has strong ties and some are apparently only acquaintances. We may have wondered how Paul could speak so boldly about the "weaknesses" within this community which needed to be overcome'now we know how Paul was so well acquainted with the problems that threatened the unity of this faith community'he had inside information!
Romans 16:21-23: Last greetings from Christians in Corinth "Timothy, who is working with me, sends greetings to you, and so do my kinsmen Lucius, Jason and Sosipater. I, Tertius, who am writing this letter, greet you in the Lord. Greetings to you from Gaius, my host here, and host of the whole Church. Erastus, the city treasurer, sends greetings to you, and our brother Quartus"
LIST OF ROMAN CHRISTIANS and CHRISTIANS WORKING WITH PAUL IN CORINTH, GREECE + = in Rome * = in Corinth | |
1. Phoebe* | 16:1: a deaconess of the Church at Cenchreae, Greece (one of the port cities of Corinth) who delivered Paul's letter to the Roman church. |
2. Prisca +(Priscilla) and her husband 3. Aquila + (notice Paul lists Prisca first. It was unusual for a wife to be given preference over her husband in this way, and he does not use her formal name nor refer to her simply as Aquila's wife, giving her status in her own right) | 16:3-4: Paul commends them as "fellow workers" for Christ in whose home the Church meets. Paul first meant this Jewish couple in Corinth, Greece, during his second missionary journey which lasted from circa 50 -52 AD. Aquila was a native of Pontus, a Roman province of NE Asia Minor near the Back Sea. Paul was very fond of this couple and knew them for years, often stayed in their home which also served as a church for believers. He credits themn with saving his life. When Paul first meant them the couple had recently been driven out of Rome by Claudius edit banning both Jews and Christians that the Roman historian Suetonius mentions in his history of Rome. This edict was enacted circa 49 or 50AD. The couple practiced the trade of tent or prayer shawl making as did Paul. This couple actively preached salvation through Jesus Christ and offered their home to the faithful for the celebration of the Eucharist. See Acts 18:2-26; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19;Colossians 4:15; Philemon 2. |
4. Epaenetus + (probably the same as Epaphras/Epaphroditus). These various spellings all mean "highly desirable" in Greek | 16:5: Paul lists him as his first convert to Christianity in Asia. Epaphras was a Christian of Colossae, Greece (see Colossians 4:12) who founded the Christian Church of Colossae and who was also a faithful companion during Paul's imprisonment in Rome (see Philemon 23). He brought gifts to Paul from the church at Philippi (Philippians 4:18) and was later sent by Paul back to Philippi after Epaphroditus become ill (Philippians 2:25). |
5. Maria (Mary) + | 16:6: Paul commends her for her hard work for the Church. No other information is available on this Roman Christian (probably the Jewish "Miriam" but could be the Latin feminine for Marius ) |
6. Andronicus + & 7. Junias (Junia) + | 16:7 Kinsmen/Jews who Paul's acknowledges embraced Jesus as the Messiah before his conversion and who he hails as apostles [in the wider sense of Romans 1:1] who were imprisoned with him at one time. St. John Chrysostom identifies them as a married couple. Paul experiences imprisonment on several occasions before writing this letter and would be imprisoned afterward as well (Acts chapters 23-28; 2 Corinthians 11:23; 2 Timothy 1:16). |
8. Ampliatus + | 16:8: Identified as a friend "beloved" by God . This name seems to have been a common slave name and has been found in several Latin inscriptions from this period. |
9. Urban + (Latin =Urbanus, meaning "city dweller") | 16:9: Identified by Paul as "fellow worker" in the spread of the Gospel. This name appears in several very early Latin inscriptions from this period. |
10. Stachys + | 16:9: Named by Paul as a beloved friend |
11. Apelles + | 16:10: A described by Paul as a "servant of Christ"'possible Church leader |
12. Household of Aristobulus + | 16:10: Christian members of this Roman household'possibly slaves (?) |
13. Herodion + | 16:11: A kinsman/countryman of Paul's (Jewish name) |
14. Household of Narcissus + | 16:11: Christian members of this Roman household'possibly slaves (?). Ambrosiaster and others record that Narcissus was a presbyter of a congregation/ church home. |
15. Tryphaena +& 16. Tryphosa + | 16:12: Scholars have suggested that these women may be twins. Their names mean "delicately and delicate" and are names that are found in Greek inscriptions. Paul identifies them as women who labor in the service of the Lord. |
17. Persis + | 16:12: A woman who is a beloved friend and hard worker in the Church. |
18. Rufus + and his 19. mother + | 16:13: Rufus is identified as a "chosen servant" of the Lord and therefore is probably a Church leader. He may possibly be one of the sons of Simeon of Cyrene who became promiment in the Church [see Mark 15:21] and who were known to Mark when he was in Rome, or he may be Rufus Prudens, a Roman Senator who sheltered the Church in his palace [see 2 Timothy 4:22]. Paul is fond of his mother who became a spiritual mother to him. |
20. Asyncritus + 21. Phlegon + 22. Hermes + 23. Patrobas + 24. Hermas + and others with them | 16:14: Greetings extended to possible members of a household or a faith community meeting in a home. There was a Hermas who is believed to be the younger brother of Pope St. Clement who will become a priest of the Church in Rome. He wrote "The Shepherd" and is listed among the successors of the Apostles in Rome. The great 3rd cent. Scholar Origen believes this is the same man. |
25. Philologus + & 26. Julia + 27. Nereus + & 28. his sister + 29. Olympas + et all | 16:15: greetings to these men and women probably of a church home led by Philologus and his wife'identified as God's holy people. |
30. Timothy * | 16:21: Paul's spiritual "son" working with Paul in Corinth. He is a native of Lystra in Lycaonia; son of a Greek father and a Jewish Christian mother whose name is Eunice and the grandson of the Jewish Christian, Lois [2 Tim. 1:5]. Timothy joined Paul as a missionary companion on his second missionary journey. He was part of Paul's team in the evangelization of Corinth; he was sent by Paul to both Philippi and Thessalonica to strengthen those communities. Paul will write Timothy two letters. He is one of Paul's most intimate and trusted friends. See Acts 16:1-3; 17:14; 19:22; 20:4; 1 Cor. 16:10-12; 2 Cor. 1:1; 19; Phl. 1:1; 2:19; Col. :1:1; 1Th. 1:1; 3:2, 6; 2 Th. 1:1; Phm. 1; Heb. 13:23; 1 & 2 Timothy |
31. Lucius * 32. Jason * 33. Sosipater * | 16:21: Paul's kinsmen who were with him the winter of 58AD in Corinth. Lucius may be the Lucius of Cyrene mentioned as a teacher in Acts 13:1. Jason may be Paul's host in Acts 17:5-9. Sosipater (Sopater) is perhaps the same companion as Acts 20:4 |
34. Tertius | 16:22: Paul's secretary (in Greek = amanuenses) who wrote out the letter as Paul dictated it. His name is Latin and means the 3rd = possibly the 3rd son? |
35. Gaius * | 16:23: Named by Tertius as his host in Corinth and of the whole church which probably means the faith community meets in his house. |
36. Erastus * | 16:23: Named by Tertius as the city treasurer of Corinth, a man of influence in the Church. He may be the brother Paul sent on a mission in Acts 19:22; also see 2 Timothy 4:20. A 1st century AD Latin inscription has been discovered in Corinth naming the city official Erastus as donating the funds to pave the city square. |
37. Quartus * | 16:23: Named by Tertius as "our brother", and not "my brother", which means "brother" in the Christian sense of brotherhood. |
Let's study Paul's list of ancient Christians in detail. Of the ten women Paul mentions in Romans 16:1-23, it appears that seven are singled out as actively serving the Church in leadership positions: Prisca (Pricilla), Maria (Mary), Junia, Tryphaena, Tryphosa, and Persis, and Rufus' mother'all in Rome; and Phoebe who is the only woman given the title "deaconess" and who is the only woman mentioned in a leadership role from among Paul's companions in Greece. St. John Chrysostom writes that "men should be put to shame" by such holy women as these listed by Paul in Romans. In mentioning so many women in positions of leadership within the Church, Paul obviously does not condemn but encourages women to actively serve Christ. St. John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople [m. 207AD] wrote concerning Paul's comments about women teaching in 1 Timothy 2:12 compared to his praise of women in Romans 16: "What does Paul mean when he says that he does not permit a woman to teach? He means to prevent a woman from coming forward publicly and preaching in the pulpit; he does not stop them from teaching altogether. If this were the case.....how would Priscilla have come to instruct Apollos? [..]. The women of those days were more spirited than lions, sharing with the Apostles their labors for the Gospel's sake. Homilies on Romans 31.
Five men are mentioned who are leaders in Rome: Aquila, Andronicus, Urbanus, Apelles, and Rufus. Six men are Paul's countrymen'Jewish Christians, some of whom came to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah prior to Paul's conversion; some may even be "kinsmen" in the flesh as well as in the spirit according to the early Church scholar Origen and others [we know that Paul had a sister in Jerusalem and a nephew; see Acts 23:16]. 20 of the names mentioned are Greek names found in 1st century documents while 10 are common Latin names and perhaps two are Hebrew names. The other names are less common and may reflect the ethnic diversity of the Roman population from the far reaches of the Empire. Many of those mentioned are probably either slaves or former slaves. Paul names some Roman Christians who appear to be slaves from the households of two pagan Romans, Aristobulus and Narcissus
In Romans 16:1 Paul identifies Phoebe by the title "deaconess"'a position of authority and responsibility. The Greek word is diakonia, which means "service." Thisdesignation is first suggested in Acts chapter 6 where seven male "deacons" are selected from among the disciples of Jesus Christ: "About this time when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution [diakonia / service ] (of food), their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, 'It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom, to whom we can hand over this duty." Acts 6:1-3. It is interesting that seven men were selected; twelve is the number of Israel, originally represented by the twelve tribes and seven was the number of the Gentile nations who inhabited Canaan [see Deuteronomy 7:1, also quoted in Acts 13:19]. The "Hellenists" were Jews from outside Judea who had come from the Gentile nations to live in the Promised Land while the "Hebrews" were Jews who were native to Judea and the Galilee and who had their own Synagogues to help support widows. These seven men were selected to offer service to the Church by ministering to the needs of the congregation'this did not include preaching which rested in the hands of the Apostles: "We ourselves will continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word." Acts 6:4. Therefore, "deacon/ deaconess" is the title of a service position in the early Church:
- Paul identifies "deacons" as leaders in the Church in Philippians 1:1:"Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, to all God's holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with their presiding elders and the deacons."
- Paul defines the qualifications for the position of the deacon/deaconess in 1 Timothy 3:8-13:"Similarly, deacons must be respectable, not double-tongued, moderate in the amount of wine they drink and with no squalid greed for money. They are first to be examined, and admitted to serve as deacons only if there is nothing against them. Similarly, women must be respectable, not gossips, but sober and wholly reliable. Deacons must be husbands of one wife and must be people who manage their children and households will. Those of them who carry out their duties well as deacons will earn a high standing for themselves and an authoritative voice in matters concerning faith in Christ Jesus."
This is the leadership role in which the Gentile woman Phoebe served the Church at Corinth. No where in the writings of the New Testament or in early Church documents does the "deaconess" have a role beyond practical service to the congregation'she most certainly did not distribute the Eucharist or preside over the celebration of the Eucharist as some feminists have suggested.
Romans 16:25-27: Closing Doxology
This long doxology is unique to Paul's letter to the Romans and many modern scholars do not believe it was original to his letter but suggest it was added later by a writer other than St. Paul. In some ancient copies of Romans it is placed after 14:23. Marcion, the 2nd century AD priest turned Gnostic heretic, completely eliminated this doxology'along with every passage after Romans 14:23. But he also removed the genealogies of Jesus from the Gospels and other major passages from New Testament Scripture. Yet the spirit of Marcion, whom the successors of the Apostles severely condemned [St. Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna (martyred c. 155AD) called him "the firstborn of Satan"], lives on in many modern scholars. It cannot be denied that this final doxology does return to Paul's theme of the "mystery" of the Gospel [see Romans 11:25; Ephesians 3:6] in verse 25, and also completes the theme he introduced in the beginning of his letter when he wrote that it is "Jesus Christ, our Lord through whom we have received grace and our apostolic mission of winning the obedience of faith among all the nations for the honor of his name." The return to the central theme of "obedience in faith" in verse 26 brings Paul's message of unity and solidarity in Christ to the Roman church full circle'beginning with the message of obedience and ending with the same theme'like the opening and closing of a great door which is the Church hinged by the Cross of Christ Jesus.
"25 And now to him who can make you strong
in accordance with the Gospel that I preach
and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,
in accordance with that mystery
which for endless ages was kept secret
26 but now (as the prophets wrote) is revealed,
as the eternal God commanded,
to be made known to all the nations,
so that they obey in faith: 27 to him, the only wise God,
give glory through Jesus Christ for ever and ever. Amen."
Question: How is it that God makes the Christian strong? See Romans 1:11-12; 1 Corinthians 1:7-9; 11:26-32; 2 Corinthians 1:20-22; Colossians 2:6-7; 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3, 13; 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17; 3:3-5.
Answer: A Christian is strong when he/she is firmly grounded in sound doctrine, instructed by the successors of the Apostles and nourished by the correct reception of the sacraments through Mother Church and committed to the practice of living a life empowered by the Holy Spirit with Christ living in each believer and through each believer who forms the Body of Christ'day by day until the Day of Judgment.
Question: What "mystery" is Paul referring to in verse 25? See 1 Corinthians 2:7, 8, 10; Ephesians 3:3-12; 6:19; Colossians 1:26-27;
Answer: The "mystery" that is revealed in the climax of history is that salvation has come to man through the Gospel of Jesus Christ in which the whole of humanity is welcomed back into God's family'including the Gentile nations.
In Romans 16:26 Paul returns to the repeated theme of "obedience of faith" that he first introduced in Romans 1:5 and which he now repeats at the close of his letter in Romans:
· Romans 1:3-5: "This is the Gospel concerning his Son who, in terms of human nature was born a descendant of David and who, in terms of the Spirit and of holiness was designated Son of God in power by resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ, our Lord through whom we have received grace and our apostolic mission of winning the obedience of faith among all the nations for the honor of his name."
· Romans 16:26: "...but now (as the prophets wrote) is revealed, as the eternal God commanded, to be made know to all the nations, so that they obey the faith..."
Faith is the necessary condition of the revelation of Jesus Christ and obedience to this faith is required throughout one's faith journey. Addressing the necessity of "The obedience of faith" the Magisterium quoting Romans 1:5; 16:26 and 2 Corinthians 10:5-6, wrote in the document Dei Verbum that this obedience "...is to be given to God who reveals, an obedience by which man commits his whole self freely to God, offering the full submission of intellect and will to God who reveals,' and freely assenting to the truth revealed by him. To make this act of faith, the grace of God and the interior help of the Holy Spirit must precede and assist, moving the heart and turning it to God, opening the eyes of the mind and giving joy and ease to everyone in assenting to the truth and believing it. To bring about an ever deeper understanding of revelation, the same Holy Spirit constantly brings faith to completion by his gifts." The Sixteen Documents of Vatican II, Dei Verbum 1, 5
The obedience of faith as Paul illustrated in chapters 6-8 and 12-15, is faith which leads to our justification through Jesus Christ in which God's gift of new life is made possible through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a gift empowered through God the Holy Spirit and enacted in the Sacrament of Baptism in which we die to sin and death and are resurrected to new life in Christ, becoming members in God's family. It is a gift that is unattainable without claiming the grace available to us through our obedience of faith'the active, living, vital faith that moves us forward from grace to faith to repentance to baptism to a life that lives to glorify God by imitating Christ in our joys and in our sufferings, and in our acts of mercy and love toward others.
In the spring of 58AD Paul did make his journey to Jerusalem and he did deliver the precious contribution from the Christian Gentile churches of Greece to the mother church in Jerusalem [see Acts 21-23] where he was arrested and sent to the Roman governor at Caesarea, the provincial capital [Acts 23:23-35]. In Caesarea Marcus Antonius Felix, the Roman governor, heard the Jewish leaders' complaints against Paul [Acts 24], and listened to Paul's eloquent defense [Acts 10-21]. Felix decided to put Paul under "house arrest" until the Roman Tribune Lysias visited [Felix's superior]'he also hoped to extract some sort of a ransom for Paul's release. Paul remained in comfortable confinement'allowed to have unrestricted access to visitors, for two years. During this enforced confinement he was able to teach the Church and her faith communities in Judea, Samaria, and the Galilee. The Roman governor also gave Paul several opportunities to share the Gospel with him and with his wife Drucilla, a Jewess who was the great-granddaughter of Herod the Great and Mariamme, the last legitimate Jewish Princess of the Hasmonean line. The ancient document containing the Book of Acts of the Apostles known as the Codex Bezae reports that Drusilla asked to hear Paul preach about Jesus of Nazareth and adds that when her husband was not responsive to Paul's message it was her request that Paul remain in Caesarea under arrest. Two years later Felix died suddenly in 60AD and Porcius Festus replaced him as the Roman governor of the province [Acts 24:27]. Immediately after his arrival in Caesarea Festus granted Paul a hearing and when Paul, fearing the Jews might demand that he strand trial in Jerusalem, Paul appealed to Caesar for justice as a Roman citizen, Festus honored Paul's request and had him sent to Rome [Acts 25-6] after giving Paul the opportunity to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to him, King Agrippa and his sister Princess Bernice [great-grandchildren of Herod the Great] and siblings of Drusilla.
After many hardships Paul finally arrived on the Italian peninsula. Upon Paul's ship docking at the Roman port of Ostia, the Roman Christians, who had been notified of his arrival, sent a delegation to meet Paul on his way to Rome at "the Forum of Appius and the Three Taverns" [see Acts 28:15]. Luke records in Acts 28:21 that the Roman Christians assured Paul they had not received letters from Jerusalem with complaints about him and that the Jewish Christians who had come from Judea had heard of Paul and his work but that none had carried negative reports about him. They also told Paul that they were anxious to learn about his views on the various Christian heresies that were already infecting the true doctrine of the Church [Acts 28:22]. We do know from accounts written by both Roman and Christian writers like the Roman historians Tacitus and Suetonius and the Christian leader who would become the 3rd Bishop of Rome after Peter, Clement of Rome, that there was a large number of Christians in Rome at this time and that although they were now distinguished from Jews that even pagan Romans related Christians to an origin in Judea. Clement wrote that there was "a considerable multitude" of Christians in the Roman capital [1 Clement 6.1], and Suetonius refers to them as "a class of human beings given to a new and mischievous superstition" [Life of Nero, 16.2].
Paul spent about two years in Rome under "house arrest" in the Roman capital waiting for his case to be heard. It was a productive two years, however. His visitors were not limited and Paul taught the Christians of Rome from his prison for those two very fruitful years and wrote letters to the churches he had founded in Colossus, Ephesus, and Philippi, as well as a letter to Philemon. After Paul was release from his first Roman captivity from 60-62AD there is evidence that he traveled to the west to begin his missionary work in Spain as he had originally planned. Most scholars assume his first letter to Timothy and his letter to Titus were written at this time. There can be no doubt that Paul's preaching in Rome unified the Church and prepared the members of the Roman faith community for their martyrdom when Christian persecution began in 64AD. We have several accounts of the heroic martyrdom of these Roman Christians. The Roman historian Tacitus records that the Christians were blamed for the great fire that destroyed 10 of the 14 Roman precincts on July 19, 64AD after many Romans suspected that Nero was responsible for setting the fire. The Roman historian Tacitus, who was not favorably disposed to Christians, wrote in his history of Rome: "To suppress this rumor, Nero created scapegoats. He punished with exquisite cruelty the notoriously depraved group whom the populace called Christians. The originator of the group, Christ, had been executed in the reign of Tiberius by the procurator Pontius Pilate. [...]. First, Nero arrested self-acknowledged members of this sect. Then, on the information they supplied [after torture], an immense multitude was convicted, not so much of the crime of firing the city, as of hatred against mankind. Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered with the skins of beasts, they were torn by dogs and perished, or were nailed to crosses, or were doomed to the flames and burnt, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, while he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer or stood aloft on a car. Hence, even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not, as it seemed, for the public good, but to glut one man's cruelty, that they were being destroyed." Tacitus, Annuls, 15.44. To this account the Roman historian Sulpicius Severus [ca 360-420AD] adds: "In this way, cruelty first began to be manifested against the Christians. Afterward, too, their religion was prohibited by laws which were enacted; and by edicts openly set forth it was proclaimed unlawful to be Christian." Chronicle, 2.29
Some time after this initial great martyrdom of the Roman Christians Paul returned to Rome and was arrested along with St. Peter and Peter's wife and was martyred with them in the year 67AD.
Paul loved and served His Savior preaching the Gospel of salvation to his very last breath.
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