The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible New Testament (154 page)

Rebuilding the Kingdom of David
 For the prophet Amos, however, whose words were taken up by James in Acts 15, the tent of David would not lie collapsed on the ground forever. Yahweh gave his promise to repair, restore, and repitch it in the messianic age (Amos 9:11-12). This is precisely the vision of the Book of Acts as it builds to the full acceptance of the Gentiles at the Jerusalem Council. We see this throughout the book, where the good news of the "kingdom" is central to the preaching of Jesus (Acts 1:3), Philip (Acts 8:12), and Paul (Acts 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23, 31). We see this in the disciples' final question to Jesus before his departure, where they ask him point-blank when the kingdom of Israel will be restored (Acts 1:6). We see this in Peter's inaugural sermon on Pentecost, where he draws from Psalm 16 and Psalm 110 to argue that Jesus, the risen and enthroned Messiah, has fulfilled the covenant of eternal kingship that God swore to David (Acts 2:22-36). We see this in Paul's inaugural sermon to Israel, where he assembles passages from Psalm 2, Psalm 16, and Isaiah 55 to make the same point as Peter—that in rising to everlasting life, Jesus is the messianic heir who sits on the throne of David and rules over his restored kingdom (Acts 13:22-37). Lastly, we see this in the missionary progress of the book, where the gospel first raises Judah and Jerusalem to new life (Acts 1-7), then spreads north to restore the Samaritans, who were descendants of the first Israelite tribes that split away from David's empire (Acts 8), and, from the conversion of Cornelius onward, radiates out to the nations beyond Israel (Acts 10-28). This vision of an international kingdom gathered around the Davidic Messiah is the same vision set forth in Luke's Gospel (Lk 1:31-33; 2:29-32; 12:32; 22:29-30) and, indeed, in the biblical prophets before him (Ps 72; Is 11:10-13; 16:5; 55:3-5; 66:18-23; Jer 3:17-18; Ezek 37:1-26; Hos 3:5; Zech 2:11; 8:22).

Lest the point be missed or misunderstood, Acts shows us that the restored dwelling of David looks quite different from the original tent propped up in the tenth century
B.C.
The kingship of Christ is indeed a Davidic kingship, and the throne from which he rules is indeed a Davidic throne (Lk 1:32). Yet the royal empire he establishes in the Church far outshines in glory and grandeur anything accomplished under David and Solomon. The focal point of this new kingdom is no longer a palace in Jerusalem but a throne standing next to the Father, high above in the heavenly Jerusalem. The unity of this kingdom is no longer held together by citizenship and taxes but by the Holy Spirit, who draws believers into one body through the sacraments. The royal ministers of this kingdom are no longer administrators and politicians but apostles and prophets. The borders of this kingdom are no longer extended by military campaigns but by missionary outreach. For readers with eyes to see, the multinational empire of David, uniting Israel and the Gentiles together into a single covenant family, was only a scale model of the worldwide kingdom of David's royal heir, Jesus Christ (Rom 1:1-5; 15:7-12). «
Back to Acts 15:1.

15:28 the Holy Spirit:
The deliberations and decisions of the Council were guided by the hand of God. This is precisely what Jesus promised to do for the ordained leadership of the Church through the Spirit.
See note on Jn 16:13
. 
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15:32 prophets:
That is, both men had the spiritual gift of exhortation.
See note on Acts 13:1
. 
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15:36-18:22
Paul's second missionary journey from
A.D.
50 to 52. 
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15:39 a sharp contention:
Paul and Barnabas go their separate ways after a dispute about John Mark, who abandoned their earlier mission (13:13). Barnabas decides to join his cousin Mark (Col 4:10) and return to his native island of Cyprus (4:36), while Paul teams up with Silas and then Timothy (16:1) to revisit the converts of Syria and Asia Minor (15:40-41). 
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16:1 Timothy:
A longtime friend and companion of Paul. He is also mentioned with Paul and Silas (Silvanus) in 1 Thess 1:1 and 2 Thess 1:1.
See note on 1 Tim 1:2
. 
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16:3 circumcised:
Paul thought it advantageous to circumcise Timothy so their joint ministry among the Jews would not be hindered by scandal (1 Cor 9:20). At this stage, circumcision and other ritual observances of the Torah were permitted for Jewish believers even though unnecessary for Gentiles (15:111). Timothy's descent from a Jewish mother seems to put him in the former category. Later rabbinic law states that religious affiliation followed matrilineal lines, so that children born of a Jewish mother were automatically Jewish, regardless of the faith of the father. 
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16:4 the decisions:
The prohibitions of the Apostolic Decree (15:23-29).
See note on Acts 15:20
. 
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16:6-10
The direction of the second mission was determined by the Spirit. After ministering in the southern territories of the Galatian province
(Phrygia
and
Galatia),
the team was forbidden to go directly west
(Asia)
or directly north
(Bithynia),
but was channeled northwest to the Aegean port of
Troas.
Here Paul received further instructions to cross over from Asia Minor to evangelize the mainland of Europe near Greece
(Macedonia).
 
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16:10 immediately we:
An abrupt shift in narrative perspective. Up to this point, Luke has retold the events in Acts as an outsider or spectator. Here, for the first time, he steps into the story ("we", not "they") as a traveling member of Paul's missionary team. Several "we" sections punctuate the later chapters of Acts and are likely based on historical memoirs that Luke stored away in his memory or possibly in a travel diary (16:1017; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16). 
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16:12 Philippi:
A colony of retired army veterans in the Roman province of Macedonia (northern Greece). About eight miles inland from the Aegean Sea, the city was named after Philip II of Macedon, the father of Alexander the Great. The Church established there (
A.D.
50) later received Paul's NT letter to the Philippians. Few Jews settled in Philippi in the NT period, and it apparently had no synagogue, only a "place of prayer" where pious women gathered on the Sabbath (16:13). According to Jewish tradition, a synagogue could not be built unless ten or more household heads (males) lived in the area. 
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16:14 Lydia:
A reputable businesswoman and possibly a widow.
worshiper of God:
Lydia was a righteous Gentile or "God-fearer" attracted to Judaism.
See note on Acts 10:2
.
opened her heart:
Faith in the gospel is a gift from God, who prepares the heart and mind of every believer with the grace needed to embrace the message (Jn 6:44; Eph 2:8). 
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16:15 her household:
The apostles routinely baptized entire households, many of which probably included infants and children as well as servants (16:33; 1 Cor 1:16; CCC 1655).
See note on Acts 2:39
. 
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16:16 spirit of divination:
Literally, "a python spirit", which refers to a mythical serpent said to guard the Greek temple of Apollo at Delphi. One controlled by a python spirit was seen as a ventriloquist or fortune-teller. Because the owners of the slave girl exploited her misfortune for its moneymaking potential, they were angered when Paul exorcised the demon and their means of income was gone (16:19). 
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16:17 servants of the Most High:
A true confession forced out of a lying spirit (Mk 1:24; 5:7). 
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16:20 magistrates:
An honorific title for the two city leaders of Philippi. In charge of civil order, they authorized a beating (16:22) on charges that Paul and Silas were causing a citywide disturbance with questionable religious teaching. 
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16:22 beat them with rods:
This is probably the shameful treatment at Philippi that Paul would later speak about in 1 Thess 2:2. He received this same type of beating at least two more times in his missionary career (2 Cor 11:25). 
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16:26 great earthquake:
Paul's miraculous deliverance recalls how Peter was twice rescued from prison by the Lord (5:19; 12:6-11). 
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16:27 to kill himself:
Prison guards were liable to severe punishment if criminals escaped during their watch (12:19). Thinking the inmates had fled, the jailer contemplated suicide as a way to escape the humiliation and condemnation he was sure to receive. 
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16:31 Believe in the Lord Jesus:
The faith asked of the jailer is a faith that embraces Jesus as Lord and Savior and leads directly to Baptism (16:33; Mk 16:16). The spiritual transformation that takes place in this sacrament (2:38) is immediately evident as the jailer no longer views the missionaries as prisoners but as fellow brothers in need of hospitality, food, and first aid (16:33-34; CCC 1226).
See note on Acts 16:15
. 
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16:37 Roman citizens:
Enjoyed certain privileges not shared by all inhabitants of the empire. Citizens, for example, were exempt from degrading forms of punishment and were not to endure any form of punishment without a thorough investigation of the charges brought against them (22:25-26). Because Paul and Silas were citizens unlawfully mistreated, they felt the injustice should not go overlooked. 
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16:40 the brethren:
The new believers in Philippi, including Lydia and her household (16:15). Over the years Paul developed a special affection for the Philippian Church, calling them his "joy and crown" (Phil 4:1).
they . . . departed:
Apparently Luke himself stayed behind. He rejoins the group in 20:6.
See note on Acts 16:10
. 
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17:1 Thessalonica:
The leading city of the Roman province of Macedonia (northern Greece). Nearly 100 miles west of Philippi, the Church established there (
A.D.
50) received two NT letters from Paul: 1 and 2 Thessalonians. 
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17:2 his custom:
Much of Paul's missionary activity centered on local Jewish synagogues.
See note on Acts 13:5
. 
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17:5 Jason:
One of the believing Jews who hosted Paul and Silas. The raid on his house failed to turn up the missionaries, who apparently hid themselves elsewhere. Other Thessalonian converts are named in 20:4. 
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17:6 the world upside down:
Jason is charged with harboring political dissidents suspected of insurrection. He was released only after the city authorities collected "security" (17:9) that made him legally responsible for his missionary guests. 
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17:7 another king:
The unstated assumption is that the expected Messiah ("the Christ", 17:3) was to come from the royal line of David and restore his glorious kingdom (2 Sam 7:1217; Mk 11:10). Here the proclamation of Christ's kingship is heard as a political threat to Rome and a direct challenge to the imperial rule of Caesar Claudius (
A.D.
41-54). From the perspective of the NT, this was a misunderstanding: although Christ demands the highest allegiance of every believer, his universal rule
over
the world is not
of
the world (Jn 18:36), so his heavenly kingship does not eliminate the need for earthly rulers to govern the temporal affairs of human society (Rom 13:1; 1 Pet 2:17). See essay:
Kingdom Restoration
at Acts 15. 
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17:10 Beroea:
A Macedonian city nearly 60 miles west of Thessalonica. 
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17:11 examining the Scriptures:
The Beroeans measured the claims of the gospel against the standard of OT revelation and found them to be in agreement (Lk 24:44; Jn 5:39). In their zealous pursuit of the truth, they searched the Scriptures every day and not just on the Sabbath. Some have inferred from this passage that the Beroeans relied on the Bible alone as the sole foundation of revealed doctrine. The inference is unwarranted: Luke tells us that Scripture was central to their faith, but not its exclusive basis. It is only logical that Jews would test the messianic message of the gospel by searching the messianic prophecies of the OT. 
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17:14 Silas and Timothy remained:
Leaving these two in Beroea and Luke back in Philippi (16:12, 40), Paul ventured on to Athens alone (17:16). 
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17:16 Athens:
A leading city of the province of Achaia (southern Greece). It reached the height of its fame in the fifth century
B.C.
but was still celebrated as a cultural center of philosophy, art, and literature during NT times. The city was filled with shrines and statues of Greek deities. Athenian interest in new and novel ideas was proverbial in antiquity (17:21). 
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17:18 Epicurean:
The disciples of Epicurus (d. 271
B.C.
) believed the goal of life was to avoid pain and discomfort as much as possible. By NT times, Epicurean philosophy had degraded into a pursuit of sensual pleasure. Most followers felt that if gods existed, they were disinterested in human affairs. Against this philosophy, Paul insists that God does exist; he is near to everyone; and he will judge the world for its conduct (17:24, 28, 31).
Stoic philosophers:
Intellectuals committed to living a disciplined life in accord with nature. Their view of God was pantheistic, i.e., they believed the entire world was divine or imbued with divinity. Against this philosophy, Paul makes a clear distinction between the Creator and his creation (17:24, 26, 28). babbler: A derogatory term for someone who collected ideas but lacked wisdom and intellectual sophistication. 
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