Come Follow Me Personal Thoughts: New Testament Lesson #31

New Testament Lesson # 31 Acts 15:36–41; 16; 17; 18:1–22; 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians

“And So Were the Churches Established in the Faith”

Introduction

This week we start with Paul on his journeys. During the 10-year period between Saul’s conversion and his first recorded missionary journey, he taught the gospel in Damascus, Arabia, Tarsus, and finally Antioch. The chapters in Acts take us to Antioch, Athens, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Corinth, Ephesus, Lystra, Troas in Turkey, Thessalonica, and Rome. After this breathtaking rush, taking the Gospel amazing distances given the difficulty of travel in the ancient world, we are treated to the first recorded letters dictated by Paul to the Thessalonians and an insight into his teachings on the Second Coming. We will focus on Paul’s second journey to Macedonia and Greece, including the discourse on Mars Hill in Athens. And his letters to the Thessalonians.

Acts 15

Why is the disagreement between Paul and Barnabas over John Mark highlighted? (Mark was the eventual missionary companion of Peter; he wrote the Gospel of Mark; was the nephew of Barnabas.) They are human beings. Mark had left a mission earlier (Acts 13:13), so perhaps Paul didn’t trust his commitment. Paul later reconciles with him and sends for him later on. So there is a side focus throughout on Mark’s own journey to true discipleship. “Though little is known about why John Mark left or what impact it had on the other missionaries, apparently Paul was still apprehensive about him. Ultimately Paul and Barnabas separated, with Paul choosing Silas/Silvanus as his new missionary companion and Barnabas choosing John Mark. Paul and John Mark were later reconciled, as evidenced in 2 Timothy 4:11 and in Colossians 4:10. Barnabas took John Mark and sailed to Cyprus (see Acts 15:39), and Paul and Silas journeyed to cities on the mainland.”[1]

Acts 16

From now on, Acts deals exclusively with Paul’s journeys. The rest of the chapters in Acts we will study this week are to do with his second journey. This time to what is now Europe (see map).

6–12 Paul has a vision that he should go to Macedonia—the Spirit directs him in his missionary labors. From Preach My Gospel “Joseph Smith said, ‘Salvation cannot come without revelation; it is in vain for anyone to minister without it’ (History of the Church, 3:389). You will succeed in your work as you learn to receive and follow personal revelation. Joseph Smith also taught that revelation is vital for your daily work: ‘This is the principle on which the government of heaven is conducted—by revelation adapted to the circumstances in which the children of the kingdom are placed’ (History of the Church, 5:135).”[2] Paul’s determination to listen to and follow the spirit. Make plans, act on them and change them if the spirit prompts them to do so. 6–10 led by the spirit. Question How has your life been directed by the Spirit—what directions did you take that you would not necessarily have otherwise?

13–15. Lydia is the first recorded Christian convert in what is now Europe. Philippi (not to be confused with Caesarea Philippi in Judea) was a Macedonian Roman colony. Lydia was probably a Greek tradeswoman (from Thyatiri), dealing in purple cloth—the most exotic and expensive dye in those days. Almost certainly she was a Jewish convert (worshipped God). It is interesting that in that area there is a river called “Lydia’s river.” Lydia housed Paul and Barnabas when they were released from prison. She is not mentioned in Paul’s letter to the Philippians, but that does not detract from her faith and strength.[3]

16–24 In contrast to Lydia, we have the slave-girl/soothsayer who was possessed of an unclean spirit. As when Christ silenced the evil spirits, even though they testified of His divinity (Mark 1:23–25; 3:11–12), Paul exorcises the girl’s evil spirit in the name of Jesus Christ (v. 18). As a result, her masters have Paul and Barnabas cast into prison.

25–35 As a Roman colony, there would have been magistrates in Philippi who would have established Paul’s Roman citizenship and prevented him from being incarcerated, but Paul did not declare it at first. Presumably because he had a work to do in the prison. Reminiscent of Alma and Amulek (see Alma 14:11 “The Spirit constraineth me that I must not stretch forth mine hand”)

Acts 17

Paul is now in Thessalonica.

1–15 After preaching for 3 Sabbaths, they are persecuted both from government and established religious leaders and “lewd” people—gospel of love is the antidote. It seems they are chased out to Berea and eventually to Athens by the Jews of Thessalonica which is interesting when we look at the epistles to see how faithful the converts in Thessalonica were.

16–34 The discourse on Mars Hill about the Unknown God. He is challenged by the Epicurean and Stoics—two most popular philosophies of the day—intellectual rivals. And masterfully in 22–28, Paul turns their own philosophical thinking against them, quoting Aratus. “In Him we live and move and have our being. We too are His offspring.[4] Offspring in the Greek is genetus which emphasizes our genetic relationship to God; literally His children. Not inanimate like the Greek gods. We can become like Him. Greeks of this time believe that spiritual is far superior to physical. Paul is countering that idea because they have physical representations of their gods. “President Thomas S. Monson clarified the doctrine taught in Acts 17:29: “The Apostle Paul told the Athenians on Mars’ Hill that ‘we are the offspring of God’ [Acts 17:29]. Since we know that our physical bodies are the offspring of our mortal parents, we must probe for the meaning of Paul’s statement. The Lord has declared that ‘the spirit and the body are the soul of man’ [D&C 88:15]. Thus it is the spirit which is the offspring of God. The writer of Hebrews refers to Him as ‘the Father of spirits’ [Hebrews 12:9]” (“The Race of Life,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 91).[5]

Thessalonians

Paul sends Timothy to Thessalonica with the first letter.

1 Thess 2:1–14

Paul’s language is difficult, but as we read it out loud, the meaning becomes more apparent. Question: How is this an example of how to teach the Gospel?

Elder Bruce R. McConkie (1915–85) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:

“The true gospel consists of two things: The Word, and The Power. Anyone can have the word; the books in which it is written are universally available. But the power must come from God; it is and must be dispensed according to his mind and his will to those who abide the law entitling them to receive it. The word of the gospel is the spoken or written account of what men must do to be saved. …

“But actual salvation comes only when the power of God is received and used; and this power is the power of the priesthood and the power of the Holy Ghost. These must operate in the lives of men; otherwise their souls cannot be cleansed; they cannot be born again; they cannot become new creatures of the Holy Ghost; they cannot put off the natural man and become saints; they cannot be sanctified by the Spirit” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 3:42–43).[6]

14–16—should not be read as condemning the Jews in Jerusalem in general, but perhaps more likely the leaders who conspired to kill Jesus and other Apostles—for whom he possibly worked before his conversion

1 Thess 4:14–5:6

Here we have Paul’s main teachings on the Second Coming

Elder Dallin H. Oaks summed up latter-day teachings about the Second Coming of Jesus Christ: “Four matters are indisputable to Latter-day Saints: (1) The Savior will return to the earth in power and great glory to reign personally during a millennium of righteousness and peace. (2) At the time of His coming there will be a destruction of the wicked and a resurrection of the righteous. (3) No one knows the time of His coming, but (4) the faithful are taught to study the signs of it and to be prepared for it” (“Preparation for the Second Coming,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2004, 7).[7]

Watch the video presentation by Elder Packer and Elder Maxwell.

President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876–1972) stated: “I do not know when he is going to come. No man knows. Even the angels of heaven are in the dark in regard to that great truth [see Matthew 24:36–37]. But this I know, that the signs that have been pointed out are here. The earth is full of calamity, of trouble. The hearts of men are failing them. We see the signs as we see the fig tree putting forth her leaves; and knowing this time is near, it behooves me and it behooves you, and all men upon the face of the earth, to pay heed to the words of Christ, to his apostles and watch, for we know not the day nor the hour. But I tell you this, it shall come as a thief in the night, when many of us will not be ready for it” (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols. [1954–56], 3:52–53).[8]

1 Thess 5:19—“Quench not the Spirit” (see https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/10/quench-not-the-spirit-which-quickens-the-inner-man?lang=eng.)

2 Thess 2

This second letter clarifies some of the questions that had arisen as a result of the first. One important teaching arises from the Thessalonians’ unease about the Second Coming. Paul taught, “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first” (vs. 3).

Pres. Uchtdorf: “If Paul knew that there would be a falling away, surely Jesus knew. But while Jesus knew that the church He established during His mortal ministry would be lost, He still established a divine pattern because He also knew that future generations would be able to recognize the very same priesthood authority and structure when it was restored centuries later.”[9]

Apostasy. In Greek means revolt/mutiny and has the same root as divide or divorce—complete severance from God, so somewhat more than a “falling away.” As such it would mandate a restitution.

James E. Faust: “With this falling away, priesthood keys were lost, and some precious doctrines of the Church organized by the Savior were changed. Among these were baptism by immersion; receiving the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands; the nature of the Godhead—that They are three distinct personages; all mankind will be resurrected through the Atonement of Christ, ‘both … the just and the unjust’ [Acts 24:15]; continuous revelation—that the heavens are not closed; and temple work for the living and the dead. The period that followed came to be known as the Dark Ages. This falling away was foreseen by the Apostle Peter, who declared that ‘heaven must receive [Jesus Christ] until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began’ [Acts 3:20–21]. Restitution would only be necessary if these precious things had been lost” (“The Restoration of All Things,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2006, 61–62).

2 Thess 3—“Every brother that walketh disorderly”

Elder McConkie: “Enemies from within, traitors to the Cause, cultists who pervert the doctrines and practices which lead to salvation, often draw others away with them, and added souls lose their anticipated inheritance in the heavenly kingdom. When cultists and enemies become fixed in their opposition to the Church, and when they seek to convert others to their divisive positions, the course of wisdom is to avoid them, as Paul here directs, and to leave them in the Lord’s hands” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:66.

Video presentation on the Second Coming
https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/1996-06-19-lesson-31-the-second-coming?lang=eng