The Jewish roots of Christianity

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Bible teaching with an emphasis on Israel, prophecy and the Jewish roots of Christianity

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Episode: “Apostolic Ordination and Subsequent Missionary Journey”
Paul’s apostolic launch and follow-up trip to sort out the angst that developed in the wake of his message to non-Jews.
Series: “In The Footsteps of The Rabbi From Tarsus”
In this twelve-part TV series, Dr. Jeffrey Seif sheds light on the Apostle Paul, his movements, and his message. After examining Paul’s travels throughout the Roman Empire, Jeff analyzes Paul’s divinely inspired letters to early Church congregations, preserved in the New Testament.

Note: A newer version of this series is available.

Caption transcript for In The Footsteps of The Rabbi From Tarsus: “Apostolic Ordination and Subsequent Missionary Journey” (3/12)

  • 00:04 WITH DR. JEFFERY SEIF AND SANDRA LEVITT
  • 01:01 A HEARTY SHALOM TO ALL OF YOU.
  • 01:04 JEFFERY SEIF HERE
  • 01:05 WITH MY FRIEND SANDRA LEVITT.
  • 01:06 SHALOM
  • 01:07 WELCOME TO ZOLA LEVITT PRESENTS.
  • 01:08 WE'RE LOOKING AT PAUL.
  • 01:10 WE'VE SEEN PAUL IN ANTIOCH SORT OF GETTING HIS FEET WET,
  • 01:13 TEACHING AND PREACHING.
  • 01:14 WE'RE GONNA LOOK TODAY AT THE MISSIONARIES...
  • 01:16 VERY FIRST MISSIONARY TRIP.
  • 01:18 GOES OUT ABOUT 700 MILES ON LAND,
  • 01:21 500 MILES ON THE OCEAN,
  • 01:23 HE'S IN HIS LATE 40'S
  • 01:25 AND YET HE IS TAKING THE WORD OUT.
  • 01:27 IT'S INTERESTING IN A WORLD WHERE
  • 01:29 MOST PEOPLE DIDN'T TRAVEL 75 MILES OR 100 MILES
  • 01:31 FROM THEIR PLACE OF ORIGIN IN THEIR ENTIRE LIFE.
  • 01:34 WANT YOU TO OPEN UP YOUR BIBLES PLEASE IF YOU WILL,
  • 01:37 LOOK HERE IN ACTS CHAPTER 13, VERSE 4, WE'RE TOLD,
  • 01:47 GOD PROMPTS INDIVIDUALS TO GO BEYOND THEIR COMFORT ZONE
  • 01:50 TO ENTER INTO, NOT THE "NO SPIN" ZONE, BUT THE "WIN" ZONE,
  • 01:54 TO GET OUT THERE AND HELP PEOPLE COME TO KNOW THE LORD.
  • 01:56 GLAD THAT GOD MOVES PEOPLE THAT WAY.
  • 01:58 CORRECT?
  • 01:59 WELL, IT'S GOOD AND THE TEACHING IS GOOD.
  • 02:01 IT'S INTERESTING TO HEAR ABOUT THE BIBLE
  • 02:03 AND THE BOOKS THAT PAUL WRITES
  • 02:05 AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT HE GIVES TO THE PEOPLE THAT HE MEETS ON THE WAY.
  • 02:07 THAT'S REALLY ENCOURAGING FOR US.
  • 02:09 LOTS OF MILES, LOTS OF PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T LIKE HIM,
  • 02:12 LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT DID LIKE HIM,
  • 02:14 LOTS OF PEOPLE THAT HURT HIM.
  • 02:16 LET'S GO TO JEFF AND TEACHING.
  • 02:20 ENTHUSIASM COMES FROM THE GREEK
  • 02:22 "ENTHEOS" AND IT MEANS "IN GOD".
  • 02:26 AND YOU CAN BET THAT THE RABBI FROM TARSUS WAS BRISTLING WITH ENTHUSIASM.
  • 02:31 AND HE'D NEED IT TOO.
  • 02:33 HE'D CALL UPON THAT IN GOD,
  • 02:35 THAT SENSE OF INSPIRATION,
  • 02:37 "INSPIRITUS", MEANS TO BREATHE THE SPIRIT IN.
  • 02:40 HE NEEDED IT TOO BECAUSE TRIALS AWAITED HIM
  • 02:43 AS THIS MAN TRAVELED OVER LAND,
  • 02:45 AS HE WENT BY SEA,
  • 02:48 AS HE ENDURED SHIPWRECK,
  • 02:50 AS THE HAZARDS OF THE JOURNEY IMPINGED UPON HIM MANY WAYS, MANY DAYS
  • 02:55 BUT ONWARD HE WENT BRAVING ALL THE DIFFICULTIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE JOURNEY.
  • 03:00 AND WHY IS THAT?
  • 03:02 BECAUSE THE RABBI FROM TARSUS WAS A MAN WITH A MISSION,
  • 03:07 "THAT THEY MAY KNOW THE MESSIAH OF ISRAEL IN THE WORLD BEYOND ISRAEL."
  • 03:13 HE WAS CALLED, DESTINED FROM THE WOMB TO BE PRO-ACTIVE IN TELLING THE GREATEST STORY EVERY TOLD
  • 03:21 TO THE PEOPLE THAT NEVER HEARD THE STORY.
  • 03:23 AND OFF HE WENT COMMISSIONED FROM ANTIOCH WITH HIS ROAD BUDDY BARNABAS.
  • 03:29 HE VENTURES WESTWARD.
  • 03:31 HE WILL GO FROM ANTIOCH TO SELECIA
  • 03:34 AND THERE HE'LL HOP ON THE WATERS OF THE HOLY LAND
  • 03:37 AND HE WILL RIDE ATOP THE WAVES AND MAKE HIS WAY TO CYPRUS.
  • 03:42 FIRST SALAMIS AND THEN OVER LAND FROM SALAMIS HE WILL MAKE HIS WAY TO PAPHOS
  • 03:47 AND FROM THERE HE WILL MAKE HIS WAY ON TO THE ASIA MINOR MAINLAND AND GO NORTH.
  • 03:54 HE'LL GO UP TO ANTIOCH IN PISIDIA
  • 03:56 HE'LL LEAVE THERE AND HE WILL TURN EAST,
  • 03:59 HE WILL GO TO ICONIUM, LYSTRA, DERBE,TURN AROUND;
  • 04:03 THIS WAS A MAN THAT WAS NOT TO BE STOPPED.
  • 04:07 HE HAD A STORY TO TELL.
  • 04:09 I WANT TO LOOK AT HIS STORY IN A MOMENT.
  • 04:11 BUT I WANT TO CONSIDER SOMETHING OF THE STORY TELLER
  • 04:14 FOR LUKE TELLS US IN ACTS IN THE 13TH CHAPTER THAT PAUL, WHO HAD A VISION FOR THE WORLD,
  • 04:21 CAME FROM A CHURCH THAT WAS CONSTITUTED BY PEOPLE FROM THE WORLD.
  • 04:25 IF YOU'LL LOOK IN CHAPTER 13, VERSE 1,
  • 04:28 YOU WILL SEE THERE WERE
  • 04:29 PROPHETS AND TEACHERS
  • 04:31 IN ANTIOCH PROPER.
  • 04:33 WE LEARN OF, CERTAINLY, BARNABAS WAS THERE, THERE'S A FELLOW SIMEON WHO WAS CALLED NIGER.
  • 04:39 WHY WAS HE CALLED NIGER?
  • 04:40 IT'S A LATIN TERM FOR BLACK.
  • 04:41 HE WAS A BLACK BROTHER.
  • 04:43 HE WAS THERE.
  • 04:44 WE'RE TOLD THAT LUCIUS OF CYRENE WAS THERE.
  • 04:47 CYRENE WAS A MAJOR CITY IN NORTHERN AFRICA.
  • 04:50 THESE WEREN'T ALL MESSIANIC JEWS FROM JUDEA.
  • 04:52 PAUL WAS IN A CHURCH THAT WAS MADE OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD.
  • 04:57 AND IT'S NOT COINCIDENTAL THAT PAUL'S GOING TO GET A VISION,
  • 05:00 "HEY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN TAKE THIS STORY OF A MULTI-CULTURAL CHURCH
  • 05:06 AND EXPORT THIS THING."
  • 05:08 SEE, HE GOT IT.
  • 05:09 HE DEVELOPED IN THAT PERSONALLY, SOCIALLY, SPIRITUALLY.
  • 05:13 WE SEE HERE,
  • 05:19 HE WAS RICH GUY.
  • 05:21 IN THIS CHURCH THERE WERE RICH AND NOT SO RICH,
  • 05:23 THERE WERE BLACK; THERE WAS WHITE, IF YOU WILL.
  • 05:25 IT'S A COSMOPOLITAN GROUP.
  • 05:27 PAUL LEARNED TO APPRECIATE DIFFERENT PEOPLE.
  • 05:29 HE LEARNED WHAT A FELLOWSHIP LOOKED LIKE
  • 05:31 WHEN IT WAS MADE UP OF PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T LOOK ALIKE.
  • 05:34 AND SO WHAT HE DOES IS HE LEAVES THE LAND, HE GOES TO THE SEA,
  • 05:38 HE GETS OFF THE SEA,
  • 05:39 HE GOES UP ON DRY LAND
  • 05:41 AND HE TELLS THE STORY OF A MESSIAH WHO CAME FOR ALL.
  • 05:45 AND INDEED WHAT A STORY IT IS.
  • 05:47 WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT IT IN A SECOND.
  • 05:49 PAUL HAD A VISION FOR A FELLOWSHIP.
  • 05:52 BUNCH OF FELLOWS IN THE SAME SHIP ROWING TOGETHER, ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE.
  • 05:57 NO ONE HAD THAT VISION.
  • 05:58 BUT PAUL DID, AND HE EXPORTED IT EVERYWHERE THAT HE WENT.
  • 06:03 THE IMAGE OF A SHIP.
  • 06:06 TODAY IN LANGUAGE WE THINK OF FELLOWSHIP, PARTNERSHIP, RELATIONSHIP,
  • 06:09 THERE'S A LOT OF "SHIPPING" GOING ON.
  • 06:12 PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER TO GET THE BETTER OF THE WAVES TO MOVE ON TOP OF IT.
  • 06:16 PAUL SAW THAT'S WHAT GOD WAS UP TO IN THE WORLD AND HE BROADCASTS THAT STORY.
  • 06:21 IN THE 13TH CHAPTER OF ACTS PAUL MAKES HIS WAY TO ANTIOCH OF PISIDIA.
  • 06:27 AS HIS CUSTOM WAS HE GOES INTO THE SYNAGOGUE.
  • 06:30 WE'LL SEE IN VERSE 14 HE WENT THERE AND HE SAT DOWN.
  • 06:35 THE RULERS OF THE HOUSE, THE LEADERS OF THE HOUSE, SAW THAT HE WAS A MAN OF RENOUN, THE JEWISH SCHOLAR
  • 06:40 AND THEY ASKED HIM TO COME UP AND SHARE AND HE DOES.
  • 06:43 WE'RE TOLD IN VERSE 16 THAT IN THE WAKE OF HIS INVITATION,
  • 06:51 NOW, WHEN HE SAYS, "YOU WHO FEAR GOD",
  • 06:53 HE'S NOT TALKING JUST GENERALLY ABOUT INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE REVERENTUAL TOWARD GOD.
  • 06:57 "GOD FEARS" IS A TERM FOR INDIVIDUALS OF NON-JEWISH EXTRACT WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE WITH THE JEWISH PEOPLE.
  • 07:05 ITS INTERESTING, THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES, FOUND HIS GENTILES IN SYNAGOGUES.
  • 07:09 THEY WERE HALF BAKED JEWS.
  • 07:11 PAULS SAYS, "MEN OF ISRAEL, AND YOU GRAFTED IN SORTS, LISTEN TO ME"
  • 07:15 AND HE GOES AND TELLS A STORY.
  • 07:17 HE PREACHES THE BIBLICAL STORY,
  • 07:20 THE OLD TESTAMENT STORY WITH THE CHRISTOLOGICAL GLOSS, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON MESSIAH.
  • 07:25 THE NET RESULT IS THERE'S A STIR.
  • 07:28 PEOPLE SAY, "WELL, THE JEWS KICKED HIM OUT".
  • 07:30 YEAH, BUT THAT'S A LITTLE OVER STATED.
  • 07:32 YES, JEWISH AUTHORITIES GOT ANGRY
  • 07:34 BUT THE REASON WHY THEY GOT ANGRY IS CAUSE A LOT OF THE JEWISH FOLK WERE FOLLOWING.
  • 07:38 IT'S OVERLY SIMPLISTIC TO SAY ALL THE JEWS REJECTED HIM.
  • 07:40 THEY DIDN'T.
  • 07:41 IF YOU LOOK IN VERSE 42, SAME CHAPTER, WE'RE TOLD,
  • 07:52 HEY, THE JEWS AND GENTILES ALIKE SAID, "COME ON BACK PAUL.
  • 07:55 WE'RE HUNGRY.
  • 07:56 WE WANT TO HEAR THIS."
  • 07:57 BUT IN THE MEANTIME LUKE TELLS US,
  • 08:07 AND THEIR SO DOING EVOKED THE IRE OF THE POWERS THAT BE WHO THEN STIR IT UP.
  • 08:12 WHAT LUKE SHOWS IN PAUL'S JOURNEYS IS THAT THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES
  • 08:16 ALWAYS WENT TO THE JEWS FIRST.
  • 08:20 WHAT HAPPENS THEN?
  • 08:21 HE MINISTERS, THERE'S SOME JEWS THAT ACCEPT, SOME JEWS DON'T,
  • 08:25 THERE'S A STIRRING UP, THERE'S AN UPSET AND HE MOVES ON.
  • 08:28 THE APOSTLE TO THE GENTILES ALWAYS WENT TO THE JEWS.
  • 08:31 IT'S WHY HE SAYS IN ROMANS,
  • 08:32 "I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL
  • 08:33 TO THE POWER OF GOD
  • 08:34 FOR SALVATION."
  • 08:36 ALL MEN TO THE JEW FIRST
  • 08:37 AND ALSO TO THE GREEK.
  • 08:38 TELL ME WHERE IS THAT "JEW FIRST" TODAY?
  • 08:40 WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS LOOK AT THE BIBLE FROM A JEWISH PERSPECTIVE
  • 08:43 AND LET THE JEWISH PEOPLE KNOW THAT THE MESSIAH HAS COME
  • 08:46 AND LET THE CHRISTIAN PEOPLE DEVELOP A LOVE FOR THE JEWS.
  • 08:49 THIS WE GET FROM PAUL, WE SEE IT EVERYWHERE HE GOES
  • 08:52 AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE IT AS WE "WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS."
  • 09:11 I HOPE YOU'RE ENJOYING LEARNING ABOUT PAUL.
  • 09:14 I'M ENJOYING TEACHING ABOUT HIM.
  • 09:17 WE'RE LOOKING AT HIS MOVEMENTS NOW AND SOON WE WILL BE LOOKING AT HIS LETTERS.
  • 09:22 AND SPEAKING ABOUT LETTERS,
  • 09:24 MUCH AS PAUL WAS GIVEN TO WRITING LETTERS
  • 09:26 I KNOW THAT SO ARE MANY OF YOU.
  • 09:29 WE RECEIVE THOUSANDS OF LETTERS EVERY MONTH AND I READ MAIL.
  • 09:36 I'D LOVE TO HOOK UP THAT INTERACTION WITH YOU
  • 09:39 IF YOU WOULD DIAL 1-800-WONDERS.
  • 09:43 YOU CAN GET ON OUR MAILING LIST,
  • 09:44 YOU CAN RECEIVE OUR MAGAZINE,
  • 09:46 YOU'LL BE READING ARTICLES
  • 09:48 AND YOU'LL WANT TO RESPOND IN KIND
  • 09:50 SO WE CAN GET THAT STORY GOING.
  • 09:52 SPEAKING ABOUT STORY GOING,
  • 09:54 AS WE GO DOWN LIFE'S HIGHWAY TOGETHER
  • 09:56 I'VE OBSERVED THAT FEW ARE THOSE IN THE WORLD
  • 09:58 THAT LOVE THE BIBLE FROM A JEWISH PERSPECTIVE.
  • 10:00 IF YOU'RE THAT KIND OF PERSON WE WANT TO GET TO KNOW YOU.
  • 10:03 1-800-WONDERS IS THE WAY TO DO THAT.
  • 10:06 AND SPEAKING OF WONDERS,
  • 10:08 IF YOU WOULD JOIN SANDRA AND ME FOR A TRIP OF A LIFETIME IN THE HOLY LAND,
  • 10:12 IN THE BIBLE LAND OF ISRAEL,
  • 10:14 IN THE GREEK LAND AS WELL, WHERE PAUL TRAVELED,
  • 10:16 I WANT YOU TO KNOW THERE'S ROOM FOR YOU.
  • 10:18 1-800-WONDERS.
  • 10:22 ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ENJOY SHOWING PEOPLE IN GREECE ARE THE GREEK ISLANDS,
  • 10:26 THEY ARE JUST GORGEOUS
  • 10:28 AND WE'VE SEEN YOU IN THE WATER
  • 10:29 AND WE'RE GETTING READY TO SEE PAUL GO BACK TO JERUSALEM.
  • 10:31 THE WATER IS JUST FABULOUS
  • 10:34 AND THE ISLANDS...
  • 10:35 IT'S JUST ALMOST ANOTHER PARADISE.
  • 10:37 I LOVE IT.
  • 10:38 WELL IT'S GREAT TO TRAVEL THAT PART OF THE WORLD.
  • 10:40 PAUL CERTAINLY DID.
  • 10:41 OH, DID HE EVER.
  • 10:43 AND IN THIS SEGMENT HE'S HEADING TO JERUSALEM
  • 10:45 TO FACE SOME UNPLEASANT MUSIC.
  • 10:47 WELL, HOW CAN A JEW BE A JEW?
  • 10:49 HOW CAN A GENTILE BE A JEW?
  • 10:51 THIS IS THE BIG DEBATE.
  • 10:53 THEY DIDN'T SORT IT OUT
  • 10:54 AND IT SEEMS THAT THERE'S ALWAYS SOME CONFUSION AT THE BORDERS OF KNOWLEDGE.
  • 10:57 AND PAUL'S GOT SOME EXPLAINING TO DO.
  • 11:00 LIFE WITH THE LORD ISN'T ALWAYS EASY.
  • 11:03 SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO CONFRONT THE UNCERTAINTIES
  • 11:05 AND DEAL WITH THE REJECTION
  • 11:08 AS PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND US
  • 11:10 OR THEY DO UNDERSTAND US AND DON'T APPRECIATE US.
  • 11:12 BUT PAUL DIDN'T WAX WITH HIS ENTHUSIASM.
  • 11:15 OFF HE WENT TO GO STRAIGHTEN THINGS OUT IN JERUSALEM
  • 11:19 AND FROM THERE BACK TO THE GRECO ROMAN WORLD.
  • 11:22 BUT JERUSALEM WE GO NOW WITH PAUL
  • 11:24 AS WE FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RABBI FROM TARSUS.
  • 11:36 SEEMS THAT IN JERUSALEM PROPER IN PROXIMITY TO THE TEMPLE THERE WERE PORCHES ROUND ABOUT,
  • 11:41 AND ONE OF WHICH WE'RE TOLD THAT THE BELIEVERS MET.
  • 11:44 IT WAS A PLACE CALLED "SOLOMON'S PORTICO"
  • 11:46 AND THERE THEY WOULD TEACH AND DISCUSS THE ISSUES OF THE DAY.
  • 11:49 AND THERE WAS A WHOLE LOT OF DISCUSSION GOING ON ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS.
  • 11:53 PRINCIPAL AMONG THEM WAS THE QUESTION,
  • 11:55 "WHAT ON GOD'S EARTH IS THE RABBI FROM TARSUS DOING?"
  • 12:01 WORD HAD SPREAD OF HIS MINISTRY TO INDIVIDUALS OF NON-JEWISH EXTRACT.
  • 12:07 AND PEOPLE WERE DISCONCERTED.
  • 12:09 PRIOR TO THIS TIME THOSE WHO FOLLOWED JESUS WERE JEWISH PEOPLE.
  • 12:13 THERE WERE WOMEN AND MEN OF JEWISH EXTRACT WHO LIVED AND FUNCTIONED AS JEWS.
  • 12:18 THEY WERE JEWISH PEOPLE WHO WERE FOR JESUS.
  • 12:21 BUT WHAT NOW?
  • 12:22 WOMEN AND MEN OF NON-JEWISH EXTRACT WERE COMING IN
  • 12:25 BUT THE QUESTION IS, "WHAT DO WE DO WITH THEM?"
  • 12:28 THERE WAS A LARGE SEGMENT THAT SAID, "WELL, THEY MUST NEEDS BE ASSIMILATED INTO THE COMMUNITY."
  • 12:32 AND THE WAY THEY DO THAT IS THEY WOULD BECOME JEWS TOO
  • 12:35 AND THIS WOULD ENTAIL CIRCUMCISION, KOSHER DIETARY LAWS AND OTHER THINGS.
  • 12:40 WELL, PAUL SAID, "HEY LISTEN, I DIDN'T HAVE THEM SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE FOR THAT."
  • 12:45 PAUL SAID, "THAT'S NOT WHAT I ADVOCATED FOR."
  • 12:48 PAUL WAS BIG ENOUGH AND BOLD ENOUGH TO CAST A VISION THAT THIS JESUS WAS FOR "KOL HA AM",
  • 12:54 "ALL THE PEOPLE",...
  • 12:56 AND THAT WOMEN AND MEN OF NON-JEWISH EXTRACT WHO CAME INTO THE MOVEMENT,
  • 13:00 VIS-A-VIS THE AGENCY OF THE RUACH HAKODESH, THE HOLY SPIRIT,
  • 13:03 THAT THEY DIDN'T NEED TO BECOME JEWISH PEOPLE IN ORDER TO BE GOOD CHRISTIANS.
  • 13:08 WELL, NO ONE HAD YET TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS AND FOR PAUL'S DOING SO, HE GOT IN TROUBLE.
  • 13:15 YOU KNOW, GOOD NEWS MOVES FAST.
  • 13:18 BAD NEWS CAN BE SUPERSONIC.
  • 13:21 AND WORD GOT BACK TO JERUSALEM THAT PAUL WAS UP TO NO GOOD AND THEY CRIED FOUL.
  • 13:30 WHAT ARE WE GONNA DO?
  • 13:32 DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE IS CONFUSION TYPICALLY AT THE BOARDERS OF KNOWLEDGE?
  • 13:36 DID YOU KNOW THAT PEOPLE WHO INNOVATE ALSO CONFRONT IN THE PROCESS OF THEIR SO DOING?
  • 13:43 AND SO THE NET RESULT IS
  • 13:44 THAT RIGHT AT THE BOARDERS OF KNOWLEDGE THERE CAN BE CAOS AND CONFUSION.
  • 13:50 IT'S ALL PART OF GROWING.
  • 13:51 AND WHY IS THAT?
  • 13:53 BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE FORCED TO THINK NEW THOUGHTS,
  • 13:55 TO EXPAND THE HORIZON AND SEE THINGS IN NEW WAYS.
  • 13:58 IT'S NOT ALWAYS COMFORTABLE, BUT IT IS WHAT THE COST OF GROWTH IS ALL ABOUT.
  • 14:05 I LIKE TO LIFT WEIGHTS IN A GYM AND THE OLD SAYING THERE, "NO PAIN, NO GAIN."
  • 14:11 WHEN I'M RUNNING I THINK OF IT, WHEN I GET UNDER THE BARBELLS I THINK OF IT,
  • 14:14 THAT WHAT IT IS, IS SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO STRUGGLE IN ORDER TO GET ON TO THE FUTURE.
  • 14:19 PAUL EXPERIENCED THAT.
  • 14:21 WHAT HAPPENED IS PAUL FINISHES THAT FIRST MISSIONARY JOURNEY AND HE'S IN ANTIOCH PROPER
  • 14:27 AND THEN WORD IS SENT...
  • 14:29 THERE'RE BRETHREN IN JERUSALEM THAT ARE ADVOCATING THAT PAUL IS IN BIG TROUBLE.
  • 14:35 AND WHY IS THAT?
  • 14:37 BECAUSE, HE'S TEACHING NEW THINGS AND PAUL GETS CALLED TO THE CARPET.
  • 14:42 THIS ISSUE, THE ISSUE OF WHAT TO DO WITH NON JEWS WHO HAVE BECOME FOLLOWERS OF JESUS,
  • 14:47 THIS ISSUE WAS SO BIG,
  • 14:49 IT TOOK IN EFFECT A FULL ECCLESIASTICAL COUNCIL IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH IT.
  • 14:54 IT WAS NOT A PETTY ISSUE.
  • 14:55 IT WAS INDEED SIGNIFICANT.
  • 14:58 TODAY, BY THE WAY, THE SHOE'S ON THE OTHER FOOT.
  • 15:00 BACK THEN, THE CHURCH WAS ALL JEWISH
  • 15:04 AND WHEN NON JEWS WERE COMING AND THEY'RE WONDERING, "WELL, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THEM?",
  • 15:07 TODAY THE CHURCH IN MUCH RESPECT IS NOT CONSTITUTED BY JEWISH PEOPLE LIKE YESTERDAY.
  • 15:11 AND NOW THE QUESTION IS, "WELL WHAT'S INCUMBENT UPON THESE JEWS WHO COME IN?"
  • 15:15 WELL, BACK THEN THE ISSUE IS AS I'D SAID WAS WHAT TO DO WITH NONE JEWS?
  • 15:18 AND IT WAS TENSE, IT WAS EMOTIONAL.
  • 15:20 AND PAUL MADE HIS WAY TO JERUSALEM,
  • 15:23 AND HE FACED THE CROWD AND HE ADVOCATED AT THIS FIRST COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM,
  • 15:27 WHERE THERE EARLY BELIEVERS GOT TOGETHER
  • 15:30 TO WEIGH IN ON THE ISSUE OF WHAT WILL BE INCUMBENT UPON WOMEN AND MEN OF NON JEWISH EXTRACT, WHO WANNA FOLLOW JESUS.
  • 15:37 LET'S SEE WHAT HE HAD TO SAY.
  • 15:42 WELL THERE WAS A MESS ALRIGHT.
  • 15:44 THE RABBI FROM TARSUS REALLY STIRRED IT UP.
  • 15:48 THEY ALL HAD TO GET TOGETHER.
  • 15:51 AND I LOVE THE WAY THAT LUKE DESCRIBES,
  • 15:54 HE LISTS THE PREMIER CHARACTERS
  • 15:57 IN ACTS, CHAPTER 15, VERSE 6,
  • 16:00 HE SAYS, "THAT THE APOSTLES
  • 16:03 AND THE ELDERS CAME TOGETHER."
  • 16:05 THE APOSTLES, THESE ARE THE SENT ONES,
  • 16:08 THESE ARE THE PREMIER LEADERS AND ADVOCATES FOR THE MOVEMENT.
  • 16:12 THE ELDERS COMES FROM THE HEBREW "ZEKENIM", THE BEARDED ONES.
  • 16:15 THIS IS A GATHERING OF THE MEN OF RENOWN
  • 16:19 AND THEY GATHER TOGETHER TO SLUG IT OUT
  • 16:23 WE'RE TOLD IN VERSE 6,
  • 16:24 "THEY CAME TOGETHER TO CONSIDER"
  • 16:25 IN VERSE 7, "THAT THERE WAS
  • 16:27 QUOTE "MUCH DISPUTE"
  • 16:30 THEY COULDN'T COME TO TERMS WITH THE QUESTION, "WHAT TO DO WITH YOU?"
  • 16:38 THIS JEWISH MOVEMENT WAS WONDERING,
  • 16:40 "WHAT SHOULD WE REQUIRE OF WOMEN AND MEN OF NON JEWISH EXTRACT?"
  • 16:45 AND THEY SLUGGED IT OUT, BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH.
  • 16:49 AND THEN WE'RE TOLD, IN VERSE 7 THOUGH, THAT PETER ROSE UP.
  • 16:53 NOW THAT'S GOOD TO SEE.
  • 16:55 PETER HAD A PROBLEM WITH BEING A BIT SHEEPISH.
  • 16:58 HE TENDED TO CRATER UNDER PRESSURE.
  • 16:59 BUT NOW HE'S GOT A LITTLE BIT OF HUTZPAH, A LITTLE BIT OF HUMPH, SOME GUTS.
  • 17:04 AND HE SHOULD STAND UP,
  • 17:05 BECAUSE PETER OTTA KNOW,
  • 17:07 BECAUSE PREVIOUSLY IN ACTS THE LORD LED PETER TO CORNELIUS SOMEONE FROM ITALY.
  • 17:13 HE WAS A CENTURION WHO WAS THERE IN CAESAREA MARITIME.
  • 17:19 AND PETER IS SENT TO HIM AND HE COMES TO FAITH,
  • 17:22 SO PETER SHOULD KNOW THAT GOD IS ON THE MOVE INTO HEARTS AND MINDS BEYOND ISRAEL PROPER.
  • 17:30 WELL, PETER GETS UP AND HE WEIGHS IN ON IT
  • 17:32 AND HE WEIGHS IN ON PAULS SIDE, BY THE WAY.
  • 17:35 SOMETIMES THEY DIDN'T GET ALONG, BUT HE'S WITH PAUL ON THIS ONE.
  • 17:39 WE'RE TOLD THEN IN VERSE 12,
  • 17:48 COULDA SAID, PAUL AND BARNABAS, CAUSE PAUL PRINCIPLE,
  • 17:51 BUT THE TRUTH IS, IS THAT BARNABAS HAD EQUITY WITH THIS GROUP.
  • 17:54 HE HAD GIVEN THEM A SIZABLE DONATION PREVIOUSLY.
  • 17:58 AND HE LIVED AND DWELT AMONG THEM AND SO THEY RESPECTED HIM THE MORE SO.
  • 18:02 PAUL WAS THE BIG QUESTION MARK, HE WAS THE CONTROVERSIAL FIGURE.
  • 18:05 WELL WHAT HAPPENS HERE IS BARNABAS AND PAUL TALK ABOUT THE SIGNS AND WONDERS, ALL THAT GOD'S DOING.
  • 18:10 AND THEN, FINALLY NO LESS THAN JESUS' CHRIST HALF BROTHER STANDS UP.
  • 18:18 WE'RE TOLD IN VERSE 13,
  • 18:21 THAT YA'AKOV, JAMES
  • 18:23 IS THE ANGLO-SIZED
  • 18:25 EQUIVALENT FOR YA'AKOV.
  • 18:27 JESUS' BROTHER.
  • 18:28 HE STANDS UP, HE WEIGHS IN ON THE MATTER SAYING,
  • 18:31 "MEN AND BRETHREN, LISTEN TO ME."
  • 18:33 AND WHAT DOES HE ADVOCATE FOR?
  • 18:34 IN VERSE 19, HE SAYS,
  • 18:36 "THAT WE SHOULD NOT PUT ANY BURDENS ON THESE WOMEN AND MEN OF NON JEWISH EXTRACT.
  • 18:41 AND THIS BUSINESS TENDED TO,
  • 18:43 THE CHURCH AGREED THAT ONE NEEDN'T BE A JEW IN ORDER TO BE A GOOD FOLLOWER OF JESUS.
  • 18:55 THE TEACHING ABOUT THE JERUSALEM COUNCIL IS VERY INTERESTING TO ME, JEFF.
  • 18:59 I THINK ABOUT PETER AND I THINK ABOUT PAUL,
  • 19:02 HOW THEY ARE, REALLY THE HEADS
  • 19:03 OF THIS NEW MOVEMENT THAT'S GOING ON.
  • 19:05 AND YET IT'S JAMES THAT COMES IN AND SETTLES THIS DISPUTE.
  • 19:09 WHAT MAKES A GENTILE JEWISH?
  • 19:11 I THOUGHT THAT WAS REALLY A GOOD,GOOD POINT.
  • 19:13 I THINK THAT IT TOOK THE TOP DOGS IN THE ORGANIZATION TO SETTLE IT,
  • 19:17 REFLECTS HOW TEMPESTUOUS THE ISSUE WAS.
  • 19:20 WELL, AND IT WAS, WHAT MADE ME A JEW?
  • 19:22 WHAT MADE ME A CHRISTIAN?
  • 19:23 WHAT MADE THIS MOVEMENT WORK?
  • 19:26 THEY REALLY WERE PEOPLE THAT THOUGHT
  • 19:27 YOU HAD TO BE CIRCUMCISED,
  • 19:29 THAT YOU HAD TO KEEP ALL THE LAWS.
  • 19:31 AND JAMES JUST SETS THEM STRAIGHT.
  • 19:33 BACK THEN THE ISSUE WAS,
  • 19:34 "WHAT'S INVOLVED IN GETTING GENTILES INTO THIS MOVEMENT?"
  • 19:36 NOW THE QUESTION IS "WHAT'S INVOLVED IN GETTING JEWS?
  • 19:38 THE BIG DEBATE WAS HOW MUCH LAW?
  • 19:41 HOW MUCH GRACE?
  • 19:43 WHAT MADE ME A GENTILE?
  • 19:44 WHAT MADE ME A GENTILE THAT BELIEVED IN THE JEWISH RELIGION?
  • 19:46 WHAT MADE THE JEWS, JEW?
  • 19:47 IT WAS JUST REALLY A BIG HUBBUB, A BIG DEAL
  • 19:50 THEY HAD A BIG ENOUGH DEAL THEY'D CALL A COUNCIL FOR IT.
  • 19:53 THEY HAD TO GET ALL THE BIG ..., THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS
  • 19:56 IN ORDER TO SETTLE THIS ISSUE,
  • 19:58 "WHAT TO DO ABOUT GENTILES?"
  • 19:59 DO THEY NEED TO BECOME JEWS NOW,
  • 20:01 IN ORDER TO BE CONSIDERED FULL FLEDGE CHRISTIANS?
  • 20:03 BUT IF THEY DO WHAT MAKES THEM BECOME JEWS?
  • 20:05 SO NOW IT'S THE OTHER WAY AROUND,
  • 20:07 HOW DO WE GET THE JEWS TO BECOME MORE MESSIANIC?
  • 20:10 WHAT A STORY.
  • 20:11 IT IS.
  • 20:12 BUT I ALSO, THE INTERESTING PART IS THAT JAMES REALLY IS IN CONTROL OF IT.
  • 20:15 HE SETTLED THE ISSUE.
  • 20:16 PETER AND PAUL ARE MAKING THEIR PRONUNCIATIONS.
  • 20:19 AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN JAMES COMES IN AND SAYS, "NO, NO, THIS IS REALLY WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN."
  • 20:23 WELL, HE'S GOT SOME CLOUT;
  • 20:24 THIS IS JESUS' HALF BROTHER.
  • 20:27 IT'S NOT WHAT YOU KNOW,
  • 20:28 IT'S WHO YOU KNOW.
  • 20:29 WE ALSO TALKED TO DR. FISCHER AGAIN
  • 20:31 AND IT'S JUST A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL PRIVILEGE TO TALK TO HIM.
  • 20:34 AND HE TALKS ABOUT MESSIANICS
  • 20:35 AND I THINK YOU'LL LIKE THIS.
  • 20:44 DR. FISCHER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PAUL'S FIRST MISSIONARY TRIP,
  • 20:47 ABOUT 1200 MILES,
  • 20:49 IT TOOK HIM 2 YEARS.
  • 20:50 HE WENT TO THESE PLACES,
  • 20:52 HE CAME BACK TO THESE PLACES.
  • 20:53 STONED AND TROUBLES EVERYWHERE AND YET,
  • 20:56 HE CONTINUES TO WITNESS ABOUT MESSIAH.
  • 20:59 I JUST...I THOUGHT IT WAS TERRIFIC.
  • 21:01 YEAH, IT'S AN AMAZING STORY,
  • 21:03 BOTH IN IT'S BEGINNING POINT TO IT'S END POINT.
  • 21:05 AND FROM IT'S STARTING POINT IN ANTIOCH,
  • 21:07 WHICH BRIEFLY REFERRED TO PREVIOUSLY,
  • 21:10 THAT WAS QUITE A CREW AT ANTIOCH THAT GATHERED TOGETHER THERE.
  • 21:13 NOT ONLY WAS THAT THE PLACE WHERE THEY'RE FIRST CALLED MESSIANICS,
  • 21:18 BUT PART OF THE GROUP THAT WAS THERE THAT GATHERED HIS LEADERSHIP
  • 21:22 WAS A MAN BY THE NAME OF MENIAN IS THE WAY WE USUALLY TRANSLATE IT.
  • 21:25 HEBREW NAME WAS MENACHEM,
  • 21:27 TURNS OUT THIS CHARACTER WAS A CO-LEADER OF THE SANHEDRIN WITH HILLEL.
  • 21:33 SO WHEN THE PEOPLE BECAME MESSIANICS,
  • 21:37 THEIR BACKGROUND GOES RIGHT UP TO THE VERY HEIGHTS
  • 21:40 OF THE LEADERSHIP LEVELS OF JUDAISM,
  • 21:42 SO THAT'S ONE OF THE GUYS THAT HE WAS HANGING AROUND WITH,
  • 21:45 THEN OF COURSE HE WAS SELECTED BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD TO GO OFF ON THIS JOURNEY.
  • 21:50 AND BOY THAT WAS QUITE A JOURNEY.
  • 21:52 BUT ISN'T IT INTERESTING?
  • 21:53 I LOVE THE WAY THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT "THE SPIRIT TOLD HIM TO GO".
  • 21:57 IT WAS NOT HIS CHOICE,
  • 21:59 THIS WAS INSTRUCTIONS THAT HE GOT.
  • 22:00 I THOUGHT THAT WAS SUCH AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO ALL OF US,
  • 22:03 THAT GOD REALLY DOES DIRECT OUR PATHS,
  • 22:05 RATHER THAN US JUST BEING OUT THERE. >>SORT OF HAPHAZARDLY.
  • 22:11 NO, THE SPIRIT OF GOD PROMPTS US ALL IN AMAZING WAYS
  • 22:14 AND I THINK TOO OFTEN WE EXPECT HIM TO DO THAT IN WAYS
  • 22:16 THAT ARE OVERLY DRAMATIC AND SUPERNATURAL,
  • 22:18 WHERE USUALLY IT'S JUST AN INNER LEADING
  • 22:21 OR IT'S THE DIRECTION OF THE WORD OF GOD
  • 22:23 AND WE'RE CERTAIN THIS IS THE WAY TO GO AND OBVIOUSLY FOR THE WAY HE WENT,
  • 22:26 THE RABBI REALLY NEEDED THAT KIND OF FIRM INNER CONVICTION, BECAUSE OF THE STUFF HE FACED.
  • 22:31 BOY, CAN YOU IMAGINE?
  • 22:33 I CAN'T IMAGINE GOING AND DOING ALL THAT HE DID.
  • 22:35 I JUST CAN'T.
  • 22:36 OH, IT'S AMAZING STUFF
  • 22:38 AND WHAT'S INTERESTING AND OFTEN MISSED IS HE WOULD GO...
  • 22:41 IN EACH OF THESE PLACES, HE'D GO FIRST TO THE SYNAGOGUE.
  • 22:43 HE'D NOT ONLY SHOW UP AT THE SYNAGOGUE,
  • 22:45 BECAUSE OF HIS REPUTATION,
  • 22:47 BECAUSE OF THE WAY IN WHICH HE DRESSED,
  • 22:49 BECAUSE HE WAS RECOGNIZABLY PHARISAIC AND RABBINIC.
  • 22:53 HE WAS INVITED TO SPEAK;
  • 22:55 HE GOT A PLATFORM IN WHICH TO TEACH IN ALL THESE PLACES.
  • 22:57 HE HAD A PROFOUND RESPECT IN THE SYNAGOGUES, IN WHICH HE ATTENDED.
  • 23:02 HE WAS NOT JUST A GUY OFF THE STREET,
  • 23:04 HE WAS AN ESTEEMED RABBINIC LEADER.
  • 23:07 WELL, I MEAN HE LEARNED AT THE FEET OF GAMALIEL,
  • 23:10 WHO WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR RABBIS OF HIS DAY.
  • 23:13 AND OBVIOUSLY THAT IMPACTED HIM.
  • 23:15 AND CERTAINLY ADDED TO HIS REPUTATION AND HIS CREDIBILITY.
  • 23:19 IT'S AN INCREDIBLE STORY.
  • 23:21 I LOVED SEEING THE JOURNEY
  • 23:23 THAT HE WITNESSED TO PEOPLE
  • 23:25 AND THEN HE WOULD COME BACK
  • 23:26 AND GO BACK TO THE SAME PLACES AND MAKE SURE THEY WERE OK.
  • 23:30 I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST TERRIFIC.
  • 23:31 WELL, THAT'S ALL PART OF THE WAY
  • 23:32 IN WHICH THE RABBIS IN THOSE DAYS WORKED.
  • 23:34 IT WAS A DISCIPLESHIP, MENTORSHIP KINDA SITUATION.
  • 23:38 AND WHEN THE STUDENTS OF THE RABBIS WERE CALLED "TALMUDIM" OR "STUDENTS",
  • 23:41 THEY WERE REALLY APPRENTICES.
  • 23:43 THEY WERE BEING MENTORED TO DO THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT THEIR RABBI WAS DOING.
  • 23:47 SO, YEAH YOU GOTTA GO BACK, YOU GOTTA TEACH.
  • 23:48 YOU GOTTA MAKE SURE THEY'RE OK.
  • 23:50 GOTTA MAKE SURE THEY'RE OK.
  • 23:51 AND IN THOSE DAYS THE SCHOOLS WERE NOT ROOTED TO ANY ONE PARTICULAR LOCATION.
  • 23:55 THESE RABBINIC SCHOOLS WERE ITINERATE SCHOOLS,
  • 23:58 THEY WERE TRAVELING SCHOOLS.
  • 23:59 SO, TRAVELING RABBIS, TRAVELING SCHOOLS,
  • 24:01 BOY THAT MAKES A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE IN THE WORLD OF JUDAISM IN THAT DAY.
  • 24:03 IT DOES. THANK YOU.
  • 24:05 YOU'RE MOST WELCOME.
  • 24:15 ♪(Zola playing the piano)♪
  • 25:14 ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, SANDRA NOTED THAT;
  • 25:16 MAN THAT DR. FISHER, TALKING TO HIM THAT THE TIME FLEW BY WAY TOO FAST.
  • 25:21 AND 3 MINUTES ISN'T MUCH TIME.
  • 25:23 IF YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE MORE TIME WITH DR. FISHER,
  • 25:25 HE AND I WENT AT IT ON OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.LEVITT.COM.
  • 25:33 AND IF YOU WANNA GO THERE YOU CAN PICK UP OUR POSTING ON DR. FISHER AND OTHERS
  • 25:39 AS WE EXPLORE THE JEWISH ROOTS OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH.
  • 25:42 HE IS REALLY GOOD.
  • 25:44 ONE OF THE, JUST THE SWEETEST THINGS HE SAID, WHEN HE WAS SAVED,
  • 25:47 HE THOUGHT THERE WAS ONLY 6 OR 7 OF THEM THAT WERE SAVED IN THE 70'S.
  • 25:51 MY LATE HUSBAND ZOLA LEVITT FELT THE SAME WAY.
  • 25:54 HE THOUGHT THERE WEREN'T BUT MAYBE A HALF A DOZEN SAVED.
  • 25:57 AND IT TURNS OUT
  • 25:58 THERE WERE MANY MORE THAT WERE SAVED AT THAT TIME THAN WHAT THEY THOUGHT.
  • 26:02 WE'RE DISCOVERING NOW THAT THERE ARE MANY THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS
  • 26:06 AND THOUSANDS OF JEWISH PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING TO FAITH.
  • 26:10 AND OUR PRESENCE AS A TELEVISION MINISTRY
  • 26:13 IN PART IS AN EXTENSION OF THAT REVIVAL. >>ABSOLUTELY
  • 26:16 AND THOSE THAT VIEW AND SUPPORT US FINANCIALLY ARE CONTRIBUTING TO IT.
  • 26:21 BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE JEWISH PEOPLE;
  • 26:23 IT'S ANYONE THAT'S LISTENING TO US.
  • 26:25 IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO KNOW WHO OUR SAVIOR IS,
  • 26:27 OUR SALVATION, OUR ETERNAL LIFE.
  • 26:29 THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
  • 26:31 IT'S NOT JUST FOR THE JEW ONLY. >>THAT'S RIGHT.
  • 26:33 NEXT WEEK, WE'RE GOING ON THE
  • 26:34 2ND AND THE 3RD MISSIONARY TRIP.
  • 26:36 PAUL GOES AGAIN,
  • 26:38 THOUSANDS OF MILES AND MANY DAYS AND MANY YEARS.
  • 26:40 WE'RE GONNA SEE PAUL NEXT WEEK.
  • 26:41 JOIN US.
  • 26:42 AND AS YOU GO, SHA' ALU SHALOM JERUSALEM,
  • 26:44 PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM.

Episodes in this series

  1. First Steps Toward Christ
  2. First “Official” Ministry Journey
  3. Apostolic Ordination and Subsequent Missionary Journey
  4. Second and Third Missionary Journeys
  5. Arrest and Appeal to Rome for Trial
  6. Roman Imprisonment, Release, Travels, and Death
  7. Paul’s Earliest Writings: Galatians and 1 Thessalonians
  8. Follow-up to the Thessalonians, and 1 Corinthians
  9. Reconciliation with the Corinthians, and Roman Correspondence
  10. Letters to Philemon, the Colossians, and the Ephesians
  11. Letters to the Philippians and Timothy
  12. Final Steps and Farewell Letters to Titus and Timothy

Guest organizations and links

Bonus Material