Talmidim Shelach LeCha

Talmidim Shelach LeCha

Acts 11:1-13:52

Act 11:1 Now the emissaries and the brothers who were in Yehudah heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of Elohim.

Act 11:2  When Kefa had come up to Yerushalayim, those who were of the circumcision [party] contended with him,

Act 11:3  saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men, and ate with them!”

Recall, this subsect of the Pharisees refused to give up the Oral Law.  They required potential converts to be circumcised prior to being allowed to fellowship, worship, learn Torah, pray or socialize with other Pharisees, and absolutely did not allow themselves to eat meals with any man who was not circumcised, though there is absolutely no such Torah commandment.

Acts, continued:

Act 11:4  But Kefa began, and explained to them in order, saying,

Act 11:5  “I was in the city of Yafo praying, and in a trance I saw a vision: a certain container descending, like it was a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners. It came as far as me.

Act 11:6  When I had looked intently at it, I considered, and saw the four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky.

Act 11:7  I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Kefa, kill and eat!’

Act 11:8  But I said, ‘Not so, Adonai, for nothing unholy or unclean has ever entered into my mouth.’

Act 11:9  But a voice answered me the second time out of heaven, ‘What Elohim has cleansed, don’t you call unclean.’

Act 11:10  This was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven.

Act 11:11  Behold, immediately three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent from Caesarea to me.

Act 11:12  The Spirit told me to go with them, without discriminating. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered into the man’s house.

Act 11:13  He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house, and saying to him, ‘Send to Yafo, and get Shim`on, whose surname is Kefa,

Act 11:14  who will speak to you words by which you will be saved, you and all your house.’

Act 11:15  As I began to speak, the Ruach HaKodesh fell on them, even as on us at the beginning.

Act 11:16  I remembered the word of Adonai, how he said, ‘Yochanan indeed immersed in water, but you will be immersed in the Ruach HaKodesh.’

Act 11:17  If then Elohim gave to them the same gift as us, when we believed in Adonai Yeshua the Messiah, who was I, that I could withstand Elohim?”

Recall, this vision had absolutely NOTHING to do with eating unclean carcasses.  Peter himself interprets it here for the third time, to make absolutely certain that everyone understood the vision referred to uncircumcised gentiles, who according to Pharisee teaching and tradition were unclean and unfit to associate with at all.

Acts, continued:

Act 11:18  When they heard these things, they held their shalom, and glorified Elohim, saying, “Then Elohim has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life!”

Not all Pharisees reacted so enthusiastically, as we will see later.  There were still pleny of Pharisee Believers who disagreed vehemently, and who went around behind Paul and the other apostles teaching that gentiles had to be circumcised immediately before they could be admitted to the assembly.

Acts, continued:

Act 11:19  They therefore who were scattered abroad by the oppression that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except to Jews only.

Act 11:20  But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Hellenists, preaching Adonai Yeshua.

Act 11:21  The hand of Adonai was with them, and a great number believed and turned Adonai.

Act 11:22  The report concerning them came to the ears of the assembly which was in Yerushalayim. They sent out Bar-Nabba to go as far as Antioch,

Act 11:23  who, when he had come, and had seen the grace of Elohim, was glad. He exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they should remain near to Adonai.

Act 11:24  For he was a good man, and full of the Ruach HaKodesh and of faith, and many people were added to Adonai.

Act 11:25  Bar-Nabba went out to Tarsus to look for Sha’ul.

Act 11:26  When he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. It happened, that for a whole year they were gathered together with the assembly, and taught many people. The talmidim were first called Messianic in Antioch.

Act 11:27  Now in these days, prophets came down from Yerushalayim to Antioch.

Act 11:28  One of them named Agav stood up, and indicated by the Spirit that there should be a great famine all over the land, which also happened in the days of Claudius.

The original Hebrew no doubt read “Eretz,” referring specifically to the land of Israel.  Otherwise, it would not have been possible for people from other lands to gather and send famine relief if they themselves were also afflicted with the drought.

Acts, continued:

Act 11:29  As any of the talmidim had plenty, each determined to send relief to the brothers who lived in Yehudah;

Act 11:30  which they also did, sending it to the elders by the hands of Bar-Nabba and Sha’ul.

Act 12:1 Now about that time, Herod the king stretched out his hands to oppress some of the assembly.

Act 12:2  He killed Ya`akov, the brother of Yochanan, with the sword.

Act 12:3  When he saw that it pleased the Judeans, he proceeded to seize Kefa also. This was during the days of matzah.

Act 12:4  When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Pesach.

Act 12:5  Kefa therefore was kept in the prison, but constant prayer was made by the assembly to Elohim for him.

Act 12:6  The same night when Herod was about to bring him out, Kefa was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. Guards in front of the door kept the prison.

Act 12:7  And behold, an angel of Adonai stood by him, and a light shone in the cell. He struck Kefa on the side, and woke him up, saying, “Stand up quickly!” His chains fell off from his hands.

Act 12:8  The angel said to him, “Get dressed and put on your sandals.” He did so. He said to him, “Put on your cloak, and follow me.”

Act 12:9  And he went out and followed him. He didn’t know that what was being done by the angel was real, but thought he saw a vision.

Act 12:10  When they were past the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate that leads into the city, which opened to them by itself. They went out, and went down one street, and immediately the angel departed from him.

Act 12:11  When Kefa had come to himself, he said, “Now I truly know that Adonai has sent out his angel and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from everything the Judean people were expecting.”

Act 12:12  Thinking about that, he came to the house of Miriam, the mother of Yochanan whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.

Act 12:13  When Kefa knocked at the door of the gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer.

Act 12:14  When she recognized Kefa’s voice, but she didn’t open the gate, but ran in, for joy, and reported that Kefa was standing in front of the gate.

Act 12:15  They said to her, “You are crazy!” But she insisted that it was so. They said, “It is his angel.”

Act 12:16  But Kefa continued knocking. When they had opened, they saw him, and were amazed.

Act 12:17  But he, beckoning to them with his hand to be silent, declared to them how Adonai had brought him out of the prison. He said, “Tell these things to Ya`akov, and to the brothers.” Then he departed, and went to another place.

Act 12:18  Now as soon as it was day, there was no small stir among the soldiers about what had become of Kefa.

Act 12:19  When Herod had sought for him, and didn’t find him, he examined the guards, and commanded that they should be put to death. He went down from Yehudah to Caesarea, and stayed there.

Act 12:20  Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tzor and Tzidon. They came with one accord to him, and, having made Blastus, the king’s personal aide, their friend, they asked for peace, because their country depended on the king’s country for food.

Act 12:21  On an appointed day, Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and gave a speech to them.

Act 12:22  The people shouted, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!”

Act 12:23  Immediately an angel of Adonai struck him, because he didn’t give Elohim the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died.

Act 12:24  But the word of Elohim grew and multiplied.

Act 12:25  Bar-Nabba and Sha’ul returned to Yerushalayim, when they had fulfilled their service, also taking with them Yochanan whose surname was Mark.

Act 13:1 Now in the assembly that was at Antioch there were some prophets and teachers: Bar-Nabba, Shim`on who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Menachem the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Sha’ul.

Act 13:2  As they served Adonai and fasted, the Ruach HaKodesh said, “Separate Bar-Nabba and Sha’ul for me, for the work to which I have called them.”

Act 13:3  Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Act 13:4  So, being sent out by the Ruach HaKodesh, they went down to Seleucia. From there they sailed to Cyprus.

Act 13:5  When they were at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of Elohim in the Jewish synagogues. They had also Yochanan as their attendant.

Act 13:6  When they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-Yeshua,

Act 13:7  who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of understanding. This man summoned Bar-Nabba and Sha’ul, and sought to hear the word of Elohim.

Act 13:8  But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn aside the proconsul from the faith.

Act 13:9  But Sha’ul, who is also called Sha’ul, filled with the Ruach HaKodesh, fastened his eyes on him,

Act 13:10  and said, “Full of all deceit and all cunning, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to pervert the right ways of Adonai?

Act 13:11  Now, behold, the hand of Adonai is on you, and you will be blind, not seeing the sun for a season!” Immediately a mist and darkness fell on him. He went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

Act 13:12  Then the proconsul, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the teaching of Adonai.

Act 13:13  Now Sha’ul and his company set sail from Paphos, and came to Perga in Pamphylia. Yochanan departed from them and returned to Yerushalayim.

Act 13:14  But they, passing on from Perga, came to Antioch of Pisidia. They went into the synagogue on the day of Shabbat, and sat down.

Act 13:15  After the reading of the Torah and the Prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, speak.”

Act 13:16  Sha’ul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, “Men of Yisra’el, and you who fear Elohim, listen.

Act 13:17  The Elohim of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they stayed as aliens in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm, he led them out of it.

Act 13:18  For a period of about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.

Act 13:19  When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Kena`an, he gave them their land for an inheritance, for about four hundred fifty years.

Act 13:20  After these things he gave them judges until Shemu’el the prophet.

Act 13:21  Afterward they asked for a king, and Elohim gave to them Sha’ul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Binyamin, for forty years.

Act 13:22  When he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, to whom he also testified, ‘I have found David the son of Yishai, a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’

Act 13:23  From this man’s seed, Elohim has brought salvation to Yisra’el according to his promise,

Act 13:24  before his coming, when Yochanan had first preached the immersion of repentance to Yisra’el.

Act 13:25  As Yochanan was fulfilling his course, he said, ‘What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. But behold, one comes after me the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’

There was still a large percentage of people who believed that Yochanan himself was the Messiah – people who had been in Judea for the festivals and personal business and had heard and seen Yochanan at the Jordan.  The apostles usually had to spend a bit of time wherever they went showing that Yochanan was in fact acting in the Spirit of Elijah, and was not the Messiah.

Acts, continued:

Act 13:26  Brothers, children of the stock of Avraham, and those among you who fear Elohim, the word of this salvation is sent out to you.

Act 13:27  For those who dwell in Yerushalayim, and their rulers, because they didn’t know him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Shabbat, fulfilled them by condemning him.

Act 13:28  Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed.

Act 13:29  When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb.

Act 13:30  But Elohim raised him from the dead,

Act 13:31  and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from the Galil to Yerushalayim, who are his witnesses to the people.

Act 13:32  We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers,

Act 13:33  that Elohim has fulfilled the same to us, their children, in that he raised up Yeshua. As it is also written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father.’

Act 13:34  “Concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he has spoken thus: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

Act 13:35  Therefore he says also in another psalm, ‘You will not allow your Holy One to see decay.’

Act 13:36  For David, after he had in his own generation served the counsel of Elohim, fell asleep, and was laid with his fathers, and saw decay.

Act 13:37  But he whom Elohim raised up saw no decay.

David, like all the righteous dead, is still dead and in his grave.  He will receive immortality at the Parousia, with all other Obedient Believers, living and dead.  Those who become obedient believers during the Tribulation and become martyrs will receive their resurrection at the second advent.

Acts, continued:

Act 13:38  Be it known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man is proclaimed to you remission of sins,

Act 13:39  and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the Torah of Moshe.

Recall from the Torah Portion of Parashat Shelach LeCha that sacrifices were intended for those who sinned through ignorance or mistake.   The Torah sacrifices are simply not effective for someone who sins willfully and does not repent.  In order to repent, one has to stop living in sin, and for one to stop living in sin, one has to learn and accept and be obedient to Torah.  But the guilt for past sins remains, and a whole herd of sheep and goats and bulls would not be enough to erase the past sins of most people – only the blood of Messiah can give everyone a clean slate so that they can move forward with a clean slate.  And the purpose of having a clean slate is NOT to commit more sins, that is, continue transgressing Torah.

Acts, continued:

Act 13:40  Beware therefore, lest that come on you which is spoken in the prophets:

Act 13:41  ‘Behold, you scoffers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, a work which you will in no way believe, if one declares it to you.’”

Act 13:42  So when the Judeans went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Shabbat.

Act 13:43  Now when the synagogue broke up, many of the Judeans and of the devout proselytes followed Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba; who, speaking to them, urged them to continue in the grace of Elohim.

Act 13:44  The next Shabbat almost the whole city was gathered together to hear the word of God.

Act 13:45  But when the Judeans saw the multitudes, they were filled with jealousy, and contradicted the things which were spoken by Sha’ul, and blasphemed.

Of course, they were teaching from the point of view of their Oral Law, which does in many respects contradict the plain written Torah being taught by Paul and the other apostles.

Acts, continued:

Act 13:46  Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba spoke out boldly, and said, “It was necessary that Elohim’s word should be spoken to you first. Since indeed you thrust it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles.

Act 13:47  For so has Adonai commanded us, saying, ‘I have set you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring salvation to the uttermost parts of the earth.’”

Act 13:48  As the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of Elohim. As many as were appointed to eternal life believed.

Act 13:49  Adonai’s word was spread abroad throughout all the region.

Act 13:50  But the Judeanss stirred up the devout and prominent women and the chief men of the city, and stirred up a persecution against Sha’ul and Bar-Nabba, and threw them out of their borders.

Act 13:51  But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came to Iconium.

Act 13:52  The talmidim were filled with joy with the Ruach HaKodesh.

We have read that in most towns and villages the apostles visited, both native born Jews, prostelytes, and gentiles became believers.  But in this town, the Pharisee party with their Oral Law was very much in control, and so this town earned the disapprobation which Yeshua spoke of concerning those places in which no Jews would repent:

Mar 6:11 Whoever will not receive you nor hear you, as you depart from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony against them. Assuredly, I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sedom and `Amorah in the day of judgment than for that city!”

Next:  Epistle Shelach LeCha.