SECTION 7
THE CHURCH GROWS AS THE WITNESSES GO FORTH

LESSONS

29. “Ye Are My Witnesses, Saith the Lord” (Acts 1–8)

30. “God Is No Respecter of Persons” (Acts 10–12)

31. “A Chosen Vessel unto Me” (Acts 9)

32. “I Have Set Thee to Be a Light of the Gentiles” (Acts 13–18)

THE SETTING

The Political Picture

Christianity made its appearance in the days of the apostles at a time when Rome ruled most of the known world. Founded in 753 B.C., the city of Rome was the center of an empire that stretched in all directions.

Unlike modern republics in which the federal government presides over a group of states or counties, the Roman empire was composed of independent cities, states, and territories, each of which was subject to the overall authority of the emperor and the senate. In the days of the apostles, larger parts of the imperial system were known as provinces. Examples of such, as found in the book of Acts, are Macedonia (Acts 16:9), Asia (Acts 20:4), Bithynia (Acts 16:7), and Cilicia (Acts 6:9). (See the map section, p. 216.)

Government was primarily of two kinds. Those provinces regarded as peaceful were ruled by proconsuls, special appointees of Rome who had the power of independent decision making but were accountable to powerful members of the Roman Senate. These proconsuls were sometimes called deputies. (See Acts 18:7–12.) Provinces generally felt to be more turbulent were directly responsible to the emperor himself and were kept in check by constant military guard. Palestine, one of the more volatile provinces in the days of Jesus and the apostles, was under the immediate supervision of the emperor through a governor or procurator. (See Matthew 27:2 and Acts 24:1.)

In addition, the Jews had a king who, although he was partly of Jewish descent, also ruled at the discretion of the Roman rulers. Herod the Great, ruling monarch in Palestine at the birth of Jesus, held the titles of procurator, tetrarch, and king. Following Herod’s death the kingdom of the Jews passed to these three sons: Archelaeus, Antipas, and Philip.

Herod’s sons were followed in power by Agrippa I. He was succeeded by his son, Agrippa II, who ruled for more than fifty years. During the latter’s reign, one of the Roman governors was Felix, before whom Paul was tried (Acts 23; 24). Felix was followed by Festus through whom Paul, when he discovered that he could not secure justice in Palestine, appealed to the Caesar himself (Acts 25:8–13). During Paul’s incarceration at Caesarea, Festus invited King Agrippa II to hear Paul’s case. Although Agrippa had an adequate understanding of Jewish law, he was not deeply committed to its religious doctrines. He gave only token observance to its ceremonial requirements, more to placate his subjects than out of any sincere conviction of its religious truth. It was his conclusion upon hearing Paul that “this man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar.” (Acts 26:32.)

Among the several emperors who reigned during the period of the New Testament was the hated Caesar (Nero) (A.D. 54 to 68), before whom Paul appeared for trial (Acts 27:24). In A.D. 64, a great fire broke out in Rome. Nero, suspected of having set the fire himself, openly accused the Christians of this incendiary act. Many believed the charge. Thus broke out the first, albeit limited, Roman persecution of the Christians. Tradition has it that during this period both Peter and Paul met their deaths in Rome. (For a view of the relationships between the political leaders of Rome and the early Christians, see the New Testament Chronology Chart in the center section of this manual.)

The Religious Picture

Many are familiar with the fact that the Jewish leaders openly opposed the message of Jesus in the Savior’s day. Believing that the death of Jesus would crush the movement which prospered under his leadership, Jewish rulers conspired to do away with the Son of God. Later, when the movement continued to grow, persecution increased also. Why? What were the forces that made it possible for Christianity to survive during its early years?

Foremost among the factors deserving mention was the zeal of the Christian converts. Their faith was not based on a dead Savior but on a living one, one that had risen from the dead, to which fact many were eyewitnesses (Acts 2:23, 24, 32; 5:30–32; 1 Corinthians 15:4–8). In addition, although the Jews openly opposed the new faith, their counteractions were largely held in check by Roman law. The political state recognized many gods, and it was the practice not to interfere with any man’s faith so long as his worship did not prove subversive to the state. Judaism was among the tolerated religions, and the leaders in Rome did not see Christianity as a new movement but rather as just another division within the Jewish order. Rome’s attitude of tolerance has been expressed in these words:

“The religious philosophy of the Roman state did not deny the existence of any religion’s gods, nor did it purport to declare that there was but one true religion, nor did it take the position that there was one religion that was better for the Roman Empire than another. In one sense there was religious toleration that bordered on almost pure religious liberty. . . .

‘It was into such a religious world that Christianity ventured, struggling to gain converts and save all mankind.” (Lyon, Apostasy to Restoration, p. 21.)

As time passed, however, and the new church expanded and grew, the attitude of tolerance began to change. Though the worship of other gods was still tolerated, more and more the personage of the emperor was seen as divine, and Roman subjects were expected to give their allegiance to him as god, as well as their own deities.

By the time of Nero, it was customary for the emperor to be called by such titles as theos (god) and soter (savior). By the time of Domitian (A.D. 81–96) the title Dominus et Deus (Lord and God) was also added. The Greek word for the Latin dominus was kurios, or Lord, the exact same word that is the most common title applied to Jesus. (It is used almost seven hundred times in the New Testament.)

There is little doubt that the early Christians saw in the emperor a direct challenge to the divinity of Christ when they saw and heard him addressed as “God,” “the Son of God,” “the Holy One,” “Lord,” and “Savior.” Their refusal to bow and worship this substitute deity was one of the central causes of the terrible persecutions which brought so many of the early saints to martyrdom.

The Greek Influence on the Early Church

Although openly opposed by Jewish elements, early Christian missionaries generally found the empire a congenial place in which to travel and preach. This was due in large measure to the Greek influence, or Hellenism, as it was called. The Greeks were anything but idle witnesses to Roman domination. Where the Romans built the roads, established the postal systems, and sought for law and order, the Greeks were a thinking, planning, and philosophizing society. If the Romans were the doers, the builders, the politicians, the Greeks were the thinkers, the planners, the philosophers; if Rome conquered Greece with its armies, Greece conquered Rome with its ideas. Greek slaves were often better educated than the Roman masters whom they served.

Greeks equated religion with man’s efforts to understand all aspects of human existence. Religion was not a definition of the gods nor yet an act of patriotic sentiment; it was a creation of men’s minds. According to the Greeks, man had the power of independent thought, the ability to examine the mysteries of the universe firsthand, and understanding sufficient to formulate satisfactory explanations. Thus, as an interest in the Greek and Roman gods declined, philosophical and scientific inquiry took its place. Religion became an attempt to correlate all existing human knowledge into one vast system of logic verified by man’s experience, by his careful observation, and by his patient thought. Thus, when Paul came to Athens, “the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing.” (Acts 17:21.) They were stirred by Paul’s presence, not because they wished to know and obey the truth, but because they were curious. Their curiosity led them to take Paul to Areopagus, the highest court in Athens, where they said to him: “May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.” (Acts 17:19, 20.) Taking advantage of the circumstances, Paul preached to them a sermon about the “unknown god” that they worshipped.

The Greek influence had two immediate effects on Christianity, one beneficial and the other detrimental. It was beneficial in that it provided a medium through which the teachings of Jesus and his apostles could be spread rapidly: the Greek language. In addition, Christianity, as we have seen, was new, and the Greek attitude to see and to hear new things had influenced many. It was detrimental because men could not resist the temptation to embellish the Christian revelation with their own interpretations. The result was a new Christianity altogether. Let us examine each of these influences in turn.

Many throughout the ancient Roman world were bilingual. One language would be their native tongue; the other was most often Koine Greek, the common, and almost universal, language of the time. The existence of a common language made possible the rapid spread of the Christian message. Prior to the birth of Christ, the Hebrew scriptures (Old Testament) had been translated from Hebrew into Greek. This rendition, known as the “septuagint,” was most likely the Bible of the Greek-speaking Jews in the time of Jesus and his apostles. All Paul had to do in order to obtain a point of contact in any new city was to go to the local Jewish synagogue on the Sabbath day. Here he would find any number of eager listeners, and he could speak to them either in Greek (the common tongue) or in Aramaic, a dialect of Hebrew, the language of the Jews. Paul spoke both (Acts 21:37–40).

The major problem presented to Christianity was how to keep the gospel message pure and free from the false philosophies so prevalent in the empire. In time, the Christian resistance to Greek philosophy broke down. Christianity became wedded to Greek thought, and the marriage proved to be disastrous for the once pure gospel of Jesus Christ. Christian converts educated in the philosophies of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and other current schools of thought found the temptation to mix their newfound faith with Greek learning too great to resist. Temples dedicated to Athena, Zeus, and Diana became, in time, centers of Christian worship; the rituals practiced, however, were not purely Christian but a blend of the true with the false. This strange admixture of Christian truth with pagan philosophy and practice constituted what is known as the Great Apostasy. As Paul prophesied to the Ephesian elders, so it came to pass:

“For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

“Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” (Acts 20:29, 30.)

Summary: A Restored Gospel at Odds with Its Contemporary Society

Early Christianity, which was a restored gospel in the meridian dispensation, made its appearance at a most propitious time in history. Roman roads literally opened avenues for Christian missionary work in every part of the empire. Roman toleration also made possible the practice and spread of Christianity among peoples otherwise largely opposed to it. The spirit of Greek rationalism as well as the widespread use of the Greek language provided Christianity with opportunities to be heard and understood wherever men might gather. The Jewish dispersion made it possible for Jewish-Christians to enter synagogues everywhere and preach the “good news” of Jesus Christ to all who would open their hearts and listen.

In time, however, Christianity began to experience negative attitudes within this world of government-sponsored religions. The new faith was not in total harmony with the spirit of its time. The Greeks considered the doctrines of atonement and resurrection “foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1:23) and mocked Paul’s earnest attempts to win their hearts to Christ (Acts 17:32). The Jews held it to be an open threat to their Mosaic institutions (John 11:48) and persecuted “unto the death” many who followed the way of Christ (Acts 22:4). In time, even the Romans came to regard Christianity as an illicit cult, deserving neither sanction nor favor from the state.

In contrast to the secular and religious philosophies of the time, Christianity was nonspeculative. It did not indulge in theory or endless dispute but in eyewitness testimony. Jesus Christ lived, died, and rose from the dead and was seen by many following his resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3–8). The nonspeculative nature of the Christian faith made it unpalatable to many whose lives were thoroughly grounded in philosophical conjecture.

THE JEWISH CULTURAL HERITAGE

Why the Jewish Claim to Genealogical Inheritance Probably Contributed to a Feeling of Exclusiveness

The Jews in the days of the early apostles traced their genealogical descent from Abraham, a great prophet who lived in Canaan about two thousand years before Christ. God established with him His special covenant, which, among other things, was to bless all nations of the earth (Abraham 2:8–11). It was Abraham who founded the Hebrew nation. Through him and his posterity the sacred covenant which made of Israel “a peculiar treasure, . . . a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation” (Exodus 19:5, 6) unto the Lord was transmitted from generation to generation.

In addition to Abraham, the Jews looked to their great Hebrew statesman and lawgiver, Moses, for proof of their chosen condition. He was God’s mouthpiece on earth, the one through whom God spoke to all Israel (Numbers 12:5–8). Thus was established the preeminence of Moses among the prophets of Israel. Jehovah was God and Moses was his prophet!

That their descent from Abraham and their spiritual legacy from Moses bred in the Jewish nation a false sense of their own superiority is evident from a reading of the New Testament. When Jesus, who was Jehovah in the premortal world, made his appearance among them, the contentious Jews lost no time in reminding the Savior of their personal exclusiveness: “Abraham is our father” they boasted (John 8:39), and “we are Moses’ disciples” (John 9:28). They were proud of their religious background. It remained for John the Baptist to remind them that true spirituality is based on deeds, not genealogical inheritance. “Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father:” John warned, “for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones [gentiles] to raise up children unto Abraham.” (Matthew 3:7–9.)

Why the Jewish Interpretation of the Law of Moses Probably Contributed to a Feeling of Exclusiveness

From God, by revelation to Moses, came the great Law which bears Moses’ name. Contained within the Pentateuch, or first five books of the Old Testament, the law of Moses provided regulations for situations arising between God and man, man and other men, and man and God’s other creatures. Faithful Israelites recognized it as the revealed will of God for his covenant people, and its violation brought with it severe penalties. Prior to their captivity by the Babylonians (about 600 B.C.), members of the tribe of Judah had probably not observed the law of Moses as rigidly as they later came to do. The writings of Israel’s prophets indicate that the worship of foreign deities by the Israelites was more the rule than the exception, although it was always vigorously denounced by the nation’s prophets. In their captive condition, however, forced to live as exiles from their homeland, the Jews were compelled to make an important decision: would they permit themselves to become totally absorbed in the cultural ways of their captors or would they remain faithful to Jehovah? A many-faceted Judaism was the result.

That the Jews viewed themselves as a people set apart is evident in all phases of their cultural life. To them, contact with those not of their faith was contaminating. They assumed that they alone possessed God’s law by direct revelation. Moses forbade the people to make marriages with those of other nations (Deuteronomy 7:3, 4). Moreover, they alone held the sacred texts in which that revelation was housed. They were exclusively the “people of the book.”

Into their Babylonian captivity the Jews took their sacred writings. Having no temple in which to worship, they began a vigorous study of the sacred texts. Scribes or special interpreters of the law arose, each with his own view of God’s word. By the time of Jesus and the apostles, much of Judaism was hopelessly entangled in a morass of legalism which militated against, if it did not crowd out altogether, the true spirit of religion. For many Jews worship was no longer a matter of the heart. The so-called traditions of the elders prevented it from being so (Matthew 15:2–6).

Jewish scholars often looked upon themselves as better than the common mass of their Jewish brothers and sisters. Jews in general manifested an intense disdain for the Samaritans, who could claim only a partial Jewish heritage. Jesus represented one Pharisee as standing in prayer before the Lord and saying: “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fact twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” (Luke 18:11, 12.) Such men were rebuked as hypocrites. They did all their works, Jesus said, “to be seen of men.” To pay tithing is, of course, a good thing, but they had “omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith.” (Matthew 23:13, 14, 23.)

Another example is the occasion when the Pharisees asked Jesus why his disciples ate without washing their hands. This act of defilement, though not part of the Mosaic law, was forbidden by the tradition of the elders (Mark 7:3–8).

Thus, Jewish religion in the days of the apostles was largely a system of rules and safeguards, “hedges about the law” as the Jews called them, brought about by the elders in their efforts to preserve the sanctity of the law and its observance. All of this tended to make religious observance more a matter of outward response to a code of laws than an inner attitude of heart and mind. Salvation began to be measured by outward performances and “works of the law” (Galatians 2:16), a condition which Paul referred to as the “yoke of bondage” (Galatians 4:3, 9; 5:1). A man who rigidly observed the traditions of the elders was always in a state of apprehension lest he violate one of the numerous rules of his religion. A man who scrupulously kept these laws had a tendency to view himself as superior to other men.

Why the Jewish Places of Worship Probably Contributed to a Feeling of Exclusiveness

Prior to the time of Solomon, the Jews had their special places of worship. One such, constructed in Moses’ day, was a portable tabernacle which could be moved from place to place wherever the people wandered. In Solomon’s time, however, a temple was built. This became the center of worship.

After the destruction of Solomon’s temple by Nebuchadnezzar, the synagogue became the primary place of Jewish worship. Even when the Jews returned to their Holy Land from Babylonian exile and rebuilt their temple, worship continued to center in the local synagogue, a special edifice serving a purpose similar to a present-day meetinghouse or chapel. Later, when the Jews were scattered throughout the Greek and Roman empires, the synagogue continued to be the focal point for religious interests. A pilgrimage to the temple in Jerusalem might be a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience, but worship in the synagogue was a weekly factor of life. It was only natural, therefore, that Paul, a Jewish Christian, should visit the synagogues first in each city into which he took the Christian message. (See, for example, Acts 13:5, 14; 14:1.)

The synagogue served a dual purpose for the Jews. Not only was it reserved for religious affairs, it was also the educational center in which Jewish children were daily instructed in the law. Each synagogue had its head, or chief ruler (Luke 8:41, 46), whose main responsibility seems to have been to decide upon the order of the public service each week and to maintain a strict decorum within the sacred confines.

Each synagogue contained copies of the Holy Books, particularly the first five books (the Torah). As formerly shown, by the time of Peter and Paul the law had come to be held in greatest respect, and its precepts were regarded as inviolable by any and all who considered themselves faithful Jews. It was only natural for Peter and Paul to quote at length from the sacred writings if they wished to hold the interest and attention of their Jewish listeners (Acts 2:16–21, 25, 26; 3:22–26; 13:16–22, 35). Likewise, Israel’s history as cited by Stephen prior to his martyrdom was something with which any twelve-year-old Jewish boy would be familiar (Acts 7).

All of this did not depreciate the sacred temple. On the contrary, a visit to the temple in Jerusalem was always an event of greatest significance. The temple standing in the days of the apostles possessed both an inner and an outer court, and only Jews were permitted to enter the inner precincts. Even there, specific divisions confined men, women, and priests to certain quarters. In the temple proper, the Holy of Holies, or Most Holy Place, was reserved only for the high priest, and that on the Day of Atonement. Gentiles might enter the outermost court known as the Court of the Gentiles, but they could not proceed further on penalty of death. In order to prevent such acts of desecration, a large sign was placed between the inner and outer courts for all to see. It carried a specific warning against any gentile intrusion. Such an understanding is essential in order to appreciate why the Jews could pretend to find fault with Paul for an alleged act of desecration (Acts 21:27–29). The sacred courts were reserved exclusively for things Jewish, and their use was decided by the Sanhedrin and its officers.

Why the Jewish Dispersion Probably Contributed to a Feeling of Exclusiveness

Strangely enough, most of the Jews in the days of the apostles did not reside either in Jerusalem or in its immediate vicinity. They lived in scattered communities throughout the Roman empire and were part of what was known as the Diaspora, or the “people of the dispersion.” Nearly every large city possessed sufficient numbers of these people to form a local synagogue; the same was true of many of the smaller cities.

The work of scattering began in 721 B.C. under Sargon II of Assyria, who led away into captivity the inhabitants of Israel, the ten tribes of the northern kingdom in Palestine. Later, Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah, the southern kingdom, and about 589 B.C. destroyed Jerusalem and carried his captives into Babylon. Some seventy years or so later, Cyrus, a benevolent king of Persia, permitted those exiled Jews to return to their native land and rebuild their sacred temple. All, however, did not return. Later, when Alexander the Great conquered the known world, further Jewish migrations from the Holy Land occurred. Many of those who took up residency in other lands later applied for and were granted the rights of Roman citizenship. Paul and the family from which he came appear to have been one of these, for Paul was a free-born Roman citizen and was always intensely proud of this fact. (See Acts 21:39; 22:25–29.)

Unquestionably these scattered Jews, like some of their compatriots in Palestine, were influenced by the world around them. Many tended in process of time to lose their Jewish exclusiveness and to be assimilated into their environment. These are sometimes referred to as Hellenistic Jews, or Grecians (Acts 6:1; 9:29; 11:20), because they adopted the Greek culture and language as their own. Only in matters of religious faith did they remain Jewish, and even this was not the strict variety. Others resisted amalgamation of any sort. While they maintained friendly relations with their non-Israelite neighbors, they refused to adopt Greek or Roman ways. Paul was of such a family. According to his own testimony, he was “circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews, as touching the Law, a Pharisee.” (Philippians 3:5.) Such Jews are sometimes called Hebraists because of their tendency to cling to their Jewish exclusiveness in the midst of an alien environment.

A good example of Jews of the dispersion would be those spoken of in Acts 2:5. They are described as “dwelling at” Jerusalem at the time of the Passover, “devout men out of every nation under heaven,” and were said to be “Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians. . . .” (Acts 2:9–11.)

Even in their scattered condition, however, the Jews, particularly the Hebraists, continued to look upon Jerusalem as their spiritual home on earth. As formerly noted, pilgrimages to the sacred temple, while not a yearly occurrence for those scattered in the furthest regions, were great events and eagerly anticipated. All faithful Jews continued to pay the half-shekel tax for maintenance of temple worship. Moreover, it would appear that the famed Sanhedrin of Jerusalem exercised at least token influence over the scattered Jewish communities throughout the empire. A good example would be Paul’s request of the high priest in Jerusalem for “letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this [Christian] way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem,” presumably for examination (Acts 9:1, 2). (See also the implications in Acts 22:4, 30 and 26:12.)

Why the Jewish Education System Probably Contributed to a Feeling of Exclusiveness

Part of the Jewish exclusiveness was undoubtedly due to the fact that the Jews found themselves in very close proximity to other nations, generally more powerful than themselves. There was always a great temptation to imbibe the evil influences of foreigners and thus incur Jehovah’s wrath. Particularly was this true of those Jews who did not live in Palestine. Uprooted from their homeland, possessing no system of military defense, the preservation of their national identity depended on how skillfully they perpetuated their Jewish heritage, hence their heavy emphasis on Torah instruction. Every phase of Jewish life merged with theology. Education was no exception. Jewish children, wherever they lived, were taught that they were a people set apart, that they were called of God and were to keep themselves unspotted from the heathens with whom they were surrounded. To fail to do this was to sacrifice one’s chosen status. If by his conduct or words a Jew displeased his elders, he could literally be “put from the synagogue,” that is, expelled or excommunicated. (See, for example, John 9:13–34.) Small wonder, then, that Peter and Paul generally encountered the problems that they did (Acts 4:16–18; 5:17–32; 13:44–50). Gentiles might consider Christianity merely another sect of Judaism such as Pharisees and Sadducees, but the Jews—never!

The word gentile comes to us from the Latin gentilis, which is derived from gens, the Latin word for “nations.” In Jewish thought, it included all non-Hebrew peoples. Sometimes the term was applied in a reproachful way; sometimes it was not. Often it was used merely to identify those peoples or nations whose God was not Jehovah, whose worship, ritual, and religious practices were foreign to those of Israel. Whereas the Roman world was largely pagan in its orientation and accepted and even embraced the gods of various nations, the Jews believed in and worshipped one God alone: Jehovah. He only, of all the gods of men, had a true existence in fact. Gentiles could become Jews providing they were willing to subscribe to all requirements of the law of Moses, including circumcision. Those who would not so subscribe were generally looked upon as inferior to God’s “chosen people.”

(See Deuteronomy 7:6; 10:15; 14:2; and Isaiah 41:8, all of which speak of God’s chosen people. The thing the Jews forgot was that they were chosen from among the peoples of the earth for a special mission: to bless all others with the truths of God. They were not chosen so that they could reserve these blessings exclusively for themselves. Neither did the possession of these truths make them better than other people. “For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much required.” [Luke 12:48; cf. D&C 82:3.] Even the apostles had to learn this important truth.)

A Special Problem: The Jewish Convert to the Church

We have already mentioned how the law of Moses was generally viewed by the Jews of apostolic times. Among those who laid the most rigid interpretation upon its strict observance was a Jewish sect known as Pharisees, the group Jesus denounced for their hypocritical ways (see Matthew 23), and a group that Paul referred to as the “strictest sect of our religion.” (Acts 26:5.) Although a Jew of the dispersion, Paul was raised “a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee” (Acts 23:6) and referred to himself as a “Hebrew of the Hebrews,” one who was “blameless” as far as the rigid observance of the Law was concerned (Philippians 3:5, 6).

Following his vision and conversion at Damascus, however, Paul changed his attitude toward the Law. The law of Moses was fulfilled and done away with in Christ’s atoning act. Even as early as Stephen’s martyrdom the Jews were charging the saints with desires to “change the customs which Moses delivered unto us.” (Acts 6:14.) How rapidly or in what manner this change occurred we cannot say. What can be said is that questions regarding the binding nature of the law on new converts, Jew or gentile, became the burden of many of Paul’s letters directed to the various Christian churches. The books of Galatians and Romans in particular were dedicated to persuading his readers that the law of Moses was dead, so far as Christians were concerned.

Not all Jewish converts to the church of Jesus Christ agreed with Paul. As a matter of fact, at least one body disagreed strongly. Probably Pharisaical in background, they insisted that the law was given of God to be observed for all time. Those who held such views have come to be known as Judaizers, although the term as such is not found in scripture. Let it be clearly understood that these Judaizers were converts to the church, men who thought they espoused the Christian cause and accepted Christ as their Redeemer. Generally they were faithful Jews who saw Christianity as a mere outgrowth of Judaism rather than as a restored gospel that did away with the lesser law of Moses. As such they continued to press for rigid and inflexible observance of the law for all members of the church. Such insistence created all kinds of special problems. Paul and the gentile saints viewed their church membership as a formal deliverance from all the religious ceremonialism of their former faiths. Why should they place themselves now beneath the yoke of Jewish ritualism?

If we ask the question, Why were there Judaizers in the church of Jesus Christ in these early days? let us also consider the fact that Judaic influence was a paramount feature of life for every faithful Jew. It was only with some difficulties that these traditions and dogma were set aside at all. The difficulty of shedding old habits and replacing them with new ones is obvious to anyone who has ever sought true repentance. The law of circumcision was commonplace to Peter, Paul, and other Jews. Even gentile converts to Judaism were required to observe it if they would claim a true home among their new-found friends (Genesis 34:14–17; Exodus 12:48).

That the Jews felt themselves to be exclusive among all of our Father’s children, the factors that contributed to this exclusive feeling, the effects of the Jewish dispersion among the gentile nations, and the effect of the gospel upon Jewish converts—all of these are essential to your understanding of the historical setting of the New Testament and particularly to the written correspondence of church leaders to church members spread throughout the Roman world.

BIOGRAPHIES

LUKE

Physician (Colossians 4:14) and missionary companion of Paul, Luke made a significant contribution to saints of all ages by writing two of the New Testament books—the Gospel that bears his name and Acts. (Actually, they are two volumes of the same work, as can be seen from his introduction to both books.) He was of gentile origin and joined Paul on the second missionary journey, probably at Troas. (See Acts 16:10 where the so-called “we” sections begin.) Modern Bible research and archeology have shown him to be a historian of accuracy and sensitivity.

PETER

Peter, son of Jonah, lived with his wife and other family members in Bethsaida, a village on the Sea of Galilee near Capernaum. His trade was that of a fisherman. He, with his brother Andrew and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John, were partners in a fishing business. It was Andrew who introduced Peter to Jesus of Nazareth at a time when Peter, Andrew, James, and John were disciples of John the Baptist. At his first meeting with Jesus, Peter was given another name by the Savior—Cephas, an Aramaic word meaning “rock or stone.”

With James, John, and Andrew, Peter was challenged to abandon worldly pursuits and follow in the footsteps of the Savior. When the first Quorum of Twelve Apostles was formed, Jesus called Peter to the apostleship, and ordained him, and sent him forth with Andrew to preach the gospel. It was Peter who declared Jesus’ messiahship after most of Jesus’ hearers rejected the Bread of Life sermon. It was Peter who testified that Jesus was “the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16.)

Not long after the Bread of Life sermon, Jesus took Peter, James, and John onto the Mount of Transfiguration. From lay disciple, Peter had ascended the ladder of faith, rung by rung, until he was privileged to stand on that mountain and receive revelation from heavenly beings who included Jesus, Elohim, Moses, and Elijah.

Of all the apostles, Peter seems to have been the most impetuous. He appears to have often acted from impulse. In the upper room, Peter protested vigorously when the ordinance of the washing of feet was introduced to him by Jesus. In Gethsemane, Peter slept while the Savior experienced his agony. At the time of Jesus’ arrest, it was Peter who drew his sword and cut off the ear of Malchus, the servant of the High Priest. Not long thereafter, Peter three times denied knowing the Savior.

Always, however, Peter’s repentance was sincere and complete. He had always the strength and determination not to repeat the same mistake. That Peter enjoyed the Savior’s forgiveness and approval is evident from the fact that Jesus appeared to the chief apostle on the day of the resurrection and commanded Peter to “feed my sheep.” (John 21:16.)

Through all of his experiences with Jesus, Peter was carefully tutored to assume his foreordained responsibility to serve as president of the church of Jesus Christ after the Lord’s ascension. The first twelve chapters of the book of Acts contain an account of Peter’s steadfastness in the face of great opposition. Peter was indeed a true prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ. (For an excellent treatment of Peter’s life, see Appendix D at the end of the manual.)

PAUL

It is difficult to date the birth of Paul with accuracy, although some time between A.D. 1 and 6 is probable. As for Paul’s place of birth, he was born in Tarsus, capital of the Roman province of Cilicia, to Jewish parents who were of the tribe of Benjamin.

From Acts 22:28, we learn of Paul’s free-born status as a Roman citizen, though how his forebears acquired this station is not known. Throughout his life, Paul’s Roman citizenship was both a means of physical protection for himself and a source of much influence among the gentiles.

If he followed the Jewish custom of the times, Paul received the education of every Jewish boy. At age five, his parents would have begun his instruction in the Old Testament. He would have committed to memory all or part of Psalms 63 to 68 (the Shema and the Hallel). When he was six, he would have attended a rabbinical school; at age ten he would have studied the oral law; at thirteen he would have been confirmed as a ‘‘son of the commandment” (the bar mitzvah), and he would have left the “House of the Book,” where he had labored to learn the scriptures, in order to take his place among the Jewish men.

It is thought that Paul most likely remained in Tarsus until he was thirteen. At that age a Jewish boy had to begin his studies at the feet of a great Jewish teacher if he were to become a rabbi. We know that Paul was a student in Jerusalem under the famous rabbi-teacher Gamaliel (Acts 22:3). Paul’s own testimony leads us to conclude that he spent a major portion of his youth in Jerusalem (Acts 26:4).

“The phrase ‘to sit at the feet of Gamaliel’ gives a true description of the method of [Paul’s] study. The great master [Gamaliel] would sit on a raised stand, and about him, sitting on the floor at his feet, would be his eager disciples.” (Sperry, Paul’s Life and Letters, p. 7.) Paul’s studies would include a thorough examination of all facets of the law of Moses. As Paul himself informs us, he was, “taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers.” (Acts 22:3.) He was, as he said, a “Hebrew of the Hebrews.” (Philippians 3:5.)

It was a religious duty for a Jewish young man to marry when he was between sixteen and eighteen years of age. Since Paul was a devout Pharisee, there is good reason to suppose that Paul was married. If Paul became a member of the Sanhedrin, to qualify for such membership he had to be married and he had to be a father.

Paul may have been present to hear the mighty discourse wherein Stephen defended the faith. Paul was present at Stephen’s execution (Acts 7:58). It is thought that perhaps Paul attended the stoning in an official capacity. Possibly he was present at the command of the Sanhedrin to insure adherence to the biblical injunction regarding witnesses in a capital case (Deuteronomy 17:6, 7). That Paul consented to Stephen’s death is a fact (Acts 8:1; 22:20). After the death of Stephen, Paul “made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.” (Acts 8:3.) To avoid the heavy hand of persecution, the saints scattered throughout the country.

Having obtained letters from the Sanhedrin which authorized him to capture members of the church in Damascus, Paul set out to accomplish his task. His efforts proved fruitless, for on the road to Damascus the course of his life was completely altered by a vision from the heavens. “Paul’s life had been bisected by Damascus Road. Before, he was an aggressive persecutor of Christianity, but after Damascus Road he was one of its most fervent propagators.” (Howard W. Hunter in CR, Oct. 1964, p. 109.)

The Prophet Joseph Smith gave a description of Paul on January 5, 1841, at the organization of a school of instruction: “He is about five feet high; very dark hair; dark complexion; dark skin; large Roman nose; sharp face; small black eyes, penetrating as eternity; round shoulders; a whining voice, except when elevated, and then it almost resembled the roaring of a lion. He was a good orator, active and diligent, always employing himself in doing good to his fellow man.” (Teachings, p. 180.)

(Note: Additional biographical material on Paul is included in other sections.)

29
“YE ARE MY WITNESSES, SAITH THE LORD”

THEME

Every member of the Church has made covenants to be a modern-day witness for Christ.

INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY

(29-1) What Is the Theme of the Acts of the Apostles?

The principal theme of the book of Acts is that of growth—growth in men through adherence to the gospel of Jesus Christ and growth of the church through the preaching of God’s word. As Jesus told his apostles shortly before his ascension to heaven, “Ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8.) Note the ever-widening circle of apostolic influence: first “in Jerusalem,” then “in all Judea,” then “in Samaria,” and finally “unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The manner in which the apostles and others fulfilled this divine commission becomes one of the major messages of the book of Acts.

(29-2) Who Wrote the Book of Acts of the Apostles?

It is generally agreed that the book of Acts was written by the same person who wrote the third Gospel, namely, Luke. Careful students of Luke’s gospel will recall that its first four verses are addressed to one described as the “most excellent Theophilus.” We do not know who Theophilus was or what position of excellence or honor he held. That he was a person of considerable prominence, likely a Greek, seems probable, since Luke addresses him in both of his written works. Prefacing the book of Acts, Luke writes:

“The former treatise [i.e., the Gospel of Luke] have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.” (Acts 1:1.) The book of Acts begins where the Gospel of Luke leaves off: with an account of the events surrounding the ascension of Jesus into heaven.

That the author of Acts was an active participant in many of the events described in its pages is evident from the so-called “we” passages. These commence in Acts 16:10, presumably following the conversion of Luke to the gospel by Paul’s preaching, and continue for a time without interruption, indicating the active presence of the writer in the events described. These so-called “we” sections then disappear for a while, only to reoccur in Acts 20:6 and in some later chapters.

(29-3) Date and Place of Writing

While the place of writing cannot be determined with any degree of certainty, the time of writing can be narrowed with some assurance. The book itself records Paul’s journey to Rome and his imprisonment there for two years, probably about A.D. 61–63 (Acts 28:30). Yet no mention is made by Luke of the trial itself or of its outcome, a fact he would hardly have failed to mention if it had already taken place. The date of writing is very probable within that two-year period.

(29-4) The Significance of the Acts of the Apostles

The book of Acts provides us with our principal view of the church of Jesus Christ during its formative years. It forms a unique bridge between the life and teachings of Jesus on the one hand and the writings and labors of the Savior’s apostles on the other. According to Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Acts also ranks first among biblical books “in telling how the Church and kingdom of God on earth operates when Jesus the King is not personally resident on planet earth.” (DNTC, 2:19.) Elder McConkie further states: “Acts tells how the spiritual gifts multiplied until they were enjoyed by the apostles and by whole congregations of the faithful. Peter and Paul raise the dead. Angels minister to Jew and Gentile alike. Miracles of healing multiply. Thousands receive the gift of tongues. Revelation and prophecy is everywhere. . . .

“Amid the spiritual display, Acts recounts the facts relative to church organization, missionary journeys, and the general spread of truth in a pagan world. It tells of the persecutions, stonings, trials, and impositions heaped upon those who center their hearts on Christ and strive to overcome the world.

“And the doctrines of salvation—how many of these are spoken of in plainness and perfection: the Second Coming, the plan of salvation, the atonement of Christ, the restoration of the gospel in latter-days, revelation, prophecy, gifts of the Spirit, miracles, healings, the latter-day gathering of Israel, the resurrection, apostasy from the truth, and so forth.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:19–20.)

Thus we are indebted to Acts for our clearest view of life in the early church. Nowhere do we get a better view of Paul’s travels in behalf of the kingdom of Christ. Further, the epistles written by Paul and others take on their greatest significance only when viewed against the backdrop of the narrative provided by Luke. We see the infant church and its leaders struggling with the problems encountered when the new revelation in Christ is thrust against the time-honored traditions of the Jews. Are gentiles who enter the church bound by the Mosaic restrictions? Do Jews who become Christians continue to be subject to the law of Moses? What is the status of the law of Moses now that Christ has atoned for men’s sins? These and other problems are wrestled with and solved by divine revelation.

The book of Acts comes to us in two principal divisions: In the first part, Acts 1–12, activities of the church center in and near Jerusalem; and Peter, the president of the church, is the principal figure. In the second part, Acts 13–28, Antioch in Syria is the primary center from which activity emerges, and the main focus is on Paul, missionary to the gentiles.

(29-5) Acts 1:1. Who Was Theophilus?

The name itself means “beloved” or “friend of God.” The Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts were addressed to this man (Luke 1:3; Acts 1:1). Because he is referred to in Luke as “most excellent Theophilus,” it has been inferred that he was of high rank. The title “most excellent” is thought to be equivalent to “right honorable” in English. All that can be safely assumed is that he was a gentile, possibly a Greek and an official.

(29-6) Acts 1:8. Was There a Particular Pattern to the Manner in Which the Gospel Message Was Spread?

Just prior to his ascension to heaven, Jesus informed his apostles that they would be “witnesses” to his name “both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” It is interesting to notice how the book of Acts reflects the fulfillment of our Savior’s words. Chapters one through seven deal with events in the city of Jerusalem only. Following the stoning of Stephen, however, the disciples “were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria.” (Acts 8:1.) Luke informs us that those thus scattered “went every where preaching the word.” (Acts 8:4.) Later he tells us just how far from Jerusalem the word had spread: “Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen traveled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.” (Acts 11:19. Italics added.) (See map inset.)

At this point, the word of God was taken into Samaria by Philip (Acts 8:5). The Samaritans, while not totally gentiles, were considered half-caste Jews by the residents of Judea. They were a people to be avoided if at all possible. When the apostles at Jerusalem learned that Samaria had received the word of the Lord, Peter and John went to bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 18:14, 15). Clearly, the gospel message had moved out of Jerusalem. By the time of Paul’s conversion, as recorded in Acts, chapter 9, the word of the Lord had spread as far as Damascus, a city of Syria, some 130 miles northeast of Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Philip was preaching in the cities west of Judea along the Mediterranean seacoast. (See the map on page 230.)

Living in Caesarea was a certain man named Cornelius, a Roman centurion and a gentile. He was a worshiper of God, and he thought much on spiritual matters. He was privileged to be the first Gentile who had not previously become a proselyte to Judaism, to join the church of Jesus Christ (Acts 10). To Peter, president of the church of Jesus Christ, was given the revelation that “God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.” (Acts 10:34, 35.) The gospel had moved from Jerusalem to Samaria, to the whole world, to the gentiles. Although Paul’s pattern was to preach the gospel first in the Jewish synagogues in every town into which he might journey, he turned his attention increasingly to the gentiles also (Acts 13:46; 18:6; 28:28). It is safe to assume that the other apostles, though we have no precise record of their labors, also helped to fulfill the Lord’s prediction that they would be his “witnesses . . . unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

(29-7) Acts 2:1. What Was the Day of Pentecost?

Fifty days or seven weeks following the Passover feast, faithful Jews observed a celebration known as Pentecost. The word comes to us from the Greek pentekoste and literally means “fiftieth.” It was variously known as the day of the first fruits (Numbers 28:26) or feast of harvest (Exodus 23:16). Coming as it did following the seven weeks of Passover, it was also known as the feast of weeks (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). How significant that God should literally pour out his Spirit upon the people at a time when they were pouring out their gratitude to him. Peter saw it as a partial fulfillment of the ancient prophecy of the prophet Joel (Joel 2:28–32).

(29-8) Acts 2:2–4. Has the Ancient Pentecostal Experience Ever Been Repeated?

The great pentecostal experience of the outpouring of the Spirit, or Holy Ghost, has a parallel in history. At the time of the dedicatory services for the Kirtland Temple, the Prophet Joseph Smith prayed for a special anointing of the Spirit from on high. “Let it be fulfilled upon them as in the days of Pentecost,” he pleaded in behalf of the Saints. “Let the gift of tongues be poured out upon thy people, even cloven tongues as of fire, and the interpretation thereof. And let thy house be filled, as with a rushing mighty wind, with thy glory.” (D&C 109:35–37.) This plea was literally fulfilled, not once, but for several days following the initial dedicatory services. On one occasion, “a noise was heard like the sound of a rushing mighty wind, which filled the Temple, and all the congregation simultaneously arose, being moved upon by an invisible power; many began to speak in tongues and prophesy; others saw glorious visions; and I beheld the Temple was filled with angels, which fact I declared to the congregation.” (Smith, HC, 2:428; cf. 432.)

(29-9) Acts 2:29–31, 34. What Do We Know Concerning the Spiritual Fate of David, King of Israel?

“A murderer, for instance, one that sheds innocent blood, cannot have forgiveness. David sought repentance at the hand of God carefully with tears, for the murder of Uriah; but he could only get it through hell: he got a promise that his soul should not be left in hell.”

“Although David was a king, he never did obtain the spirit and power of Elijah and the fullness of the Priesthood; and the Priesthood that he received, and throne and kingdom of David is to be taken from him and given to another by the name of David in the last days, raised up out of his lineage. (Smith, Teachings, p. 339.)

(29-10) Acts 2:40. What Is an “Untoward Generation”?

In the Old English used when the King James Version was written, toward meant obedient, teachable, amenable. Untoward, therefore, meant rebellious, intractable, perverse.

(29-11) Acts 3:19. What Is Meant by the “Times of Refreshing”?

“If we are to catch the vision of Peter’s prophecy, we must know pointedly and specifically what is meant by the times of refreshing. It is elsewhere spoken of by Jesus as ‘the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory.’ (Matt. 19:28.) It is the day ‘when the earth shall be transfigured, even according to the pattern which was shown unto mine apostles upon the mount. . . .’ the Lord says. (D&C 63:21.) It is the day when ‘the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory.’ (Tenth Article of Faith.) It is the day of the ‘new earth’ that Isaiah saw (Isa. 65:17), the earth which will prevail when wickedness ceases, when the millennial era is ushered in. . . . It is the day when men ‘shall beat their swords into plowshares, and hooks’ (Isa. 2:4), a day of universal peace and justice, a millennial era when Christ shall reign personally upon the earth.” (Bruce R. McConkie in CR, Oct. 1967, p. 43.)

(29-12) Acts 3:21. What Is Meant by the “Times of Restitution”?

“These words mean age of restoration, an age in which God has promised to restore all things that he spoke by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.

“Thus, Christ came once and ministered among men, climaxing his ministry with his atoning sacrifice and ascension to his Father. He is to come again, a second time, in a day of refreshing and renewal, to reign personally upon the earth. But he cannot come this second time until an age in the earth’s history commences which has the name the times of restitution, or in other words he cannot come until the age or period of restoration; and in that age or period all essential things that God ever gave in any age of the earth for salvation, betterment, blessing, and edification of his children will be restored again.” (Bruce R. McConkie in CR, Oct. 1967, p. 43.)

(29-13) Acts 4:6. Who Were Annas, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander?

Annas was a Jewish high priest in the days of Jesus. He was the son of Seth, was appointed to the priestly office at age thirty-seven, and held the office when John the Baptist commenced his call for repentance (Luke 3:2). He was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, high priest during the time of Jesus’ crucifixion and Peter and John’s difficulties with the Sanhedrin (John 18:18, 24; Acts 4:6). He was a man of powerful influence among the Jews, and five of his sons served as high priests.

The full name of Caiaphas was Joseph Caiaphas. He was high priest of the Jews during the reign of the emperor Tiberius (Matthew 26:3, 57; John 11:49; 18:13, 14, 24, 28; Acts 4:6). Before him appeared both Jesus and the apostles Peter and John. He was the son-in-law of Ann as, high priest before him, and he served some eighteen years in this important post.

Nothing more is known of John and Alexander beyond this one reference.

(29-14) Acts 5:1–11. What Lesson Can Be Learned from the Deaths of Ananias and Sapphira?

“In effect the lesson to learn from Ananias is that unrepentant liars will be damned. What, then, of the part tithepayer who tells his bishop the sum given the Church is a full tithing? Or of the immoral couple who, conspiring together, assert their purity in order to get a temple recommend? Or of church members who deny sins of any sort which would keep them from receiving temple blessings, priesthood ordinations, or positions of leadership?” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:58–59.)

(29-15) Acts 5:34–40. Who Was Gamaliel?

The grandson of the famous rabbi Hillel and famous in his own right, Gamaliel was a member of the Sanhedrin and a distinguished scholar of the Jewish law during the time when the early church was first getting underway. Paul states that he was “brought up at the feet” of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), an idiomatic expression meaning that he was tutored by the famous master of the law. Gamaliel had a reputation for being tolerant and kindhearted, emphasizing the humanistic considerations of the law, relaxing the demands of Sabbath observance so they were not so rigorous, and encouraging more humane treatment of the woman in divorce laws. The advice which he gives to the chief priests regarding the apostles and the infant church (Acts 5:34–40) supports this reputation for tolerance and wisdom. It is likely that his wise advice saved the lives of the apostles, even though the council beat them before sending them away (Acts 5:40).

(29-16) Acts 5:36. Who Were Theudas and Judas of Galilee?

Gamaliel attempted to persuade the Jewish leaders from their intent to persecute and kill Peter and the apostles. In a speech before the Sanhedrin he referred to a man called Theudas who had gained four hundred followers, only to fail in his attempts to acquire additional adherents. In fact, Theudas was killed and his followers were scattered. In effect, Gamaliel’s approach was, “Let nature take its course. If the work be of men, it will fail as did Theudas. If it is of God, it will triumph to your injury.” (See Acts 5:35–39.)

In giving a reason why the Sanhedrin should let the apostles go, Gamaliel cited the case of Judas of Galilee as an example of how a movement would come to naught if the Lord was not with it. Though Gamaliel’s advice carried with the council, his evaluation of Judas and his followers proved to be quite inadequate. In about A.D. 6 or 7, Quirinius, the Roman governor of Syria, undertook a census of Palestine. Judas, a fanatically loyal Galilean, said that the Jews should be free of any foreign domination and therefore opposed the census. He gathered a band of followers who resisted the order with open violence. They were, for the most part, captured, tortured, and killed, including Judas, so in that sense, at least, Gamaliel was correct. But from that brief insurrection was born the movement known as the Zealots which, in A.D. 66, led another revolt against Rome. It was this Zealot-inspired revolt which led to the destruction of the temple and the scattering of the Jews from Palestine in A.D. 70–72.

(29-17) Acts 6:5–7:59. Who Was Stephen?

Seven men, among whom was Stephen, were selected by the apostles to perform duties pertaining to whatever system of welfare was in use at the time. Stephen was especially valiant in his ministry. The scriptures attest that he was a man “full of faith and power” who “did great wonders and miracles among the people.” Because he spoke and acted with such authority and might, certain men of the Jews had him arrested on false charges. False witnesses testified before the Sanhedrin that Stephen had spoken blasphemy against the temple and the law of Moses. During the proceedings, all who looked on him “saw his face as it had been the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15); yet they refused to heed this visible witness which was manifest in Stephen’s transfiguration. His defense was a recitation of the history of God’s dealings with his children. Stephen argued that Israel did not understand their own law. They had persecuted and killed the prophets as they had persecuted and killed Jesus. Stephen gazed into the heavens and saw the resurrected Christ with his Father. His incriminating testimony they could not bear. Crying “blasphemy,” Stephen was cast out of Jerusalem’s walls and stoned. Stephen died, one of the first martyrs of the faith.

(29-18) Acts 7:58. Who Was Saul?

Saul was the Hebrew name of Paul the apostle. Born of the tribe of Benjamin (Romans 11:1; Philippians 3:5), Paul was a Jew of the Diaspora. At an appropriate time he changed his Hebrew name to its Roman counterpart, Paul, thus enabling him to move more easily in gentile circles. (For further biographical detail, see page 270.)

(29-19) Acts 7:60. “Lord, Lay Not This Sin to Their Charge”

“When the Lord, in his dying moments, turned to the Father and requested, ‘Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do’ (Luke 23:34), he was referring to the soldiers who crucified him. They acted under the mandate of a sovereign nation. It was the Jews who were guilty of the Lord’s death. Again how could he forgive them, or how could his Father forgive them, when they were not repentant. These vicious people who cried, ‘ . . . His blood be on us, and on our children’ (Matt. 27:25) had not repented. Those who ‘reviled him’ on Calvary (Matt. 27:39) had not repented. The Jewish leaders who tried Jesus illegally, demanded his crucifixion from Pilate, and incited the mob to their vilest actions had not repented. Nor had the Roman soldiers who, though no doubt obligated under their military law to crucify Jesus as instructed, were under no compulsion to add the insults and cruelties to which they subjected the Savior prior to his crucifixion.

“Could the Lord forgive Pilate? Certainly he could not without Pilate’s repentance. Did Pilate repent? We do not know what Pilate did after the scripture drops him. He had a desire to favor the Savior. He did not display full courage in resisting the pressures of the people. Could he have saved the life of the Lord? Again, we do not know. We leave Pilate to the Lord as we do all other sinners, but remember that ‘to know and not to do’ is sin.” (Kimball, Miracle of Forgiveness, p. 167.)

(29-20) Acts 8:5. Who Was Philip?

Philip was one of seven men chosen to assist the apostles in caring for the needy (Acts 6:1–6). He preached at Samaria, where Simon the sorcerer believed the gospel message (Acts 8:5–13). When commanded by an angel, Philip went from Jerusalem to Gaza, where he expounded the words of Isaiah and the gospel to a eunuch of great importance who received the word with gladness and was baptized (Acts 8:26–39). Then he preached in different places until he took up residence at Caesarea (Acts 8:40). Paul stayed with Philip at Caesarea on his third missionary journey (Acts 21:8–15). Philip had four unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy (Acts 21:9).

(29-21) Acts 8:5–8. Can a Member of the Aaronic Priesthood Perform Great Works of Righteousness?

“I desire to impress upon you the fact that it does not make any difference whether a man is a Priest or an Apostle, if he magnifies his calling. A Priest holds the key of the ministering of angels. Never in my life, as an Apostle, as a Seventy, or as an Elder, have I ever had more of the protection of the Lord than while holding the office of a Priest. The Lord revealed to me by visions, by revelations, and by the Holy Spirit, many things that lay before me.” (Wilford Woodruff, Millennial Star, 53:629.)

POINTS TO PONDER

THE COMMISSION TO BE WITNESSES OF CHRIST CONTINUES FOR SAINTS OF MODERN TIMES

(29-22) All the World Is to Be Converted

When Christ said that the witness of him should go “unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8), some people assumed he was speaking only to the saints of that time. But that was not true. Christ was speaking especially to us as members of the restored church. President Spencer W. Kimball said this:

“If there were no converts, the Church would shrivel and die on the vine. But perhaps the greatest reason for missionary work is to give the world its chance to hear and accept the gospel. The scriptures are replete with commands and promises and calls and rewards for teaching the gospel. I use the word command deliberately for it seems to be an insistent directive from which we, singly and collectively, cannot escape.

“. . . It seems to me that the Lord chose his words when he said ‘every nation,’ ‘every land,’ ‘uttermost bounds of the earth,’ ‘every tongue,’ ‘every people,’ ‘every soul,’ ‘all the world,’ ‘many lands.’

“Surely there is significance in these words!

“Certainly his sheep were not limited to the thousands about him and with whom he rubbed shoulders each day. A universal family! A universal command!” (“When the World Will Be Converted,” Ensign, Oct. 1974, pp. 4–5.)

(29-23) “For Verily the Voice of the Lord Is unto All Men”

(29-24) When the World Will Be Converted

When President Kimball gave this address, he was speaking to Regional Representatives of the Twelve. But you ask yourself the same questions he asked them, for when it comes right down to it, the responsibility must rest upon the shoulders of individual members of the Church.

“My brethren, I wonder if we are doing all we can. Are we complacent in our approach to teaching all the world? We have been proselyting now 144 years. Are we prepared to lengthen our stride? To enlarge our vision?

“Remember, our ally is our God. He is our commander. He made the plans. He gave the commandment. Remember what we have quoted thousands of times as told by Nephi:

“‘And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.’ (1 Ne. 3:7.)

“And as I read the scripture I think of the numerous nations that are still untouched. I know they have curtains, like iron curtains and bamboo curtains. I know how difficult it is because we have made some efforts. Surely the Lord knew what he was doing when he commanded. . . .

“‘For verily the voice of the Lord is unto all men, and there is none to escape; and there is no eye that shall not see, neither ear that shall not hear, neither heart that shall not be penetrated.

“‘And the voice of warning shall be unto all people, by the mouths of my disciples, whom I have chosen in these last days.’ (D&C 1:2, 4.)

“Somehow, brethren, I feel that when we have done all in our power that the Lord will find a way to open doors. That is my faith.

“‘Is any thing too hard for the Lord?’ he asked, when Sarah laughed when she was told that she would have a son. When she heard this in the tent door, she knew that both Abraham at 100 years and she at 90 years were past the age of reproduction. She could not bear children. She knew that, as well as it has been known that we could not open doors to many nations.

“‘And the Lord said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh. . . .

“‘Is any thing too hard for the Lord? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.’ (Gen. 18:13–14.)

“Brethren, Sarah did have a son, from Abraham, the father of nations.

“‘Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead [and that was Abraham, 100 years old], so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.’ (Heb. 11:12.)

“Is anything too hard for the Lord?

“Also to Jeremiah he had said:

“‘Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?’ (Jer. 32:27.)

“If he commands, certainly he can fulfill.

“We remember the exodus of the children of Israel crossing the uncrossable Red Sea.

“We remember Cyrus diverting a river and taking the impregnable city of Babylon.

“We remember the Lehites getting to the promised land.

“We remember the Revolutionary War and the power of God that gave us triumph.

“I believe the Lord can do anything he sets his mind to do.

“But I can see no good reason why the Lord would open doors that we are not prepared to enter. Why should he break down the Iron Curtain or the Bamboo Curtain or any other curtain if we are still unprepared to enter?

“I believe we have men who could help the apostles to open these doors—statesmen, able and trustworthy—but, when we are ready for them.

“Today we have 18,600 missionaries. We can send more. Many more! Eight thousand, nine hundred went through the mission home in 1973.

“I believe it was John Taylor who said, ‘God will hold us responsible to the people we might have saved, had we done our duty.’” (Kimball, “When the World Will Be Converted,” pp. 5, 7.)

30
“GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS”

THEME

Membership in God’s kingdom is offered to all men everywhere, for the Lord is no respecter of persons.

INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY

(30-1) Acts 10:1. Who Was Cornelius?

A Roman centurion, or leader of one hundred men, Cornelius is described by Luke as “a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.” (Acts 10:1, 2.) He must have also been a seeking, praying man, for he was given a vision in answer to prayer and was instructed to seek out Peter, who would tell Cornelius what he ought to do to perfect his life before God (Acts 10:3–6). He is the first gentile known to have received the gospel in the meridian of time without first fully converting to Judaism. (Acts 10:47, 48).

Where Was Caesarea in Relation to Joppa?

(30-2) Acts 10:1–6. Why Did Cornelius Seek Out Peter After Having Seen an Angel?

Seeing an angel or receiving a visitation from heaven does not bring salvation; keeping the commandments does. Cornelius wished for salvation, and in order to obtain it he had to obey its precepts. The angel who appeared and gave Cornelius initial instructions could have told him what to do, but he sent him to Peter, who held the earthly authority. This is the pattern in the kingdom of God. It is, then, as Joseph Smith observed: “No wonder the angel told good old Cornelius that he must send for Peter to learn how to be saved: Peter could baptize and angels could not, so long as there were legal officers in the flesh holding the keys of the kingdom, or the authority of the priesthood.” (Teachings, p. 265. Italics added.)

(30-3) Acts 10:9–33. Why Was Peter Chosen to Introduce the Gospel to the Gentiles?

“It [was] Peter’s duty and privilege to preach the gospel first to the Gentiles. Please note that when the Lord desired the Gentiles to hear His word, He instructed the chief of the Twelve to turn the key that opened the gospel door to them. This is one of the special duties of the apostleship.” (McKay, Ancient Apostles, p. 87.)

“In other words, Peter, holding the keys of the kingdom, was as much the president of the High Priesthood in his day as Joseph Smith and his successors, to whom also these ‘keys’ were given in our day, are the presidents of the High Priesthood and the earthly heads of the Church and kingdom of God on earth.” (Harold B. Lee in CR, Oct. 1953, 25.)

(30-4) Acts 10:10. What Is the Meaning of the Phrase “Fell into a Trance”?

“Sometimes prophets go into trances in connection with the receipt of visions. That is, they are so completely overshadowed by the Spirit that to all outward appearances normal bodily functions are suspended.” (McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 802.)

(30-5) Acts 10:44–48. What Is the Difference Between the Holy Ghost and the Gift of the Holy Ghost?

“There is a difference between the Holy Ghost and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Cornelius received the Holy Ghost before he was baptized, which was the convincing power of God unto him of the truth of the Gospel, but he could not receive the gift of the Holy Ghost until after he was baptized. Had he not taken this sign or ordinance upon him, the Holy Ghost which convinced him of the truth of God, would have left him. Until he obeyed these ordinances and received the gift of the Holy Ghost, by the laying on of hands, according to the order of God, he could not have healed the sick or commanded an evil spirit to come out of a man and it obey him. . . .” (Smith, Teachings, p. 199. Italics added.)

(30-6) Acts 11:26. When Were the Early Saints Called Christians, and Why?

“Christians is an obvious name for the followers of Christ, for those who believe he is the Son of God and that salvation of all degrees comes because of him and his atoning sacrifice. Since there have been followers of Christ in successive gospel dispensations from Adam to the present, these all would have been known as Christians or some equivalent, synonymous term. By saying the saints were called Christians first in Antioch means that for the first time in the meridian dispensation there was a sufficient church membership so that nonmembers recognized the saints as a separate and distinct organization, one severed and apart from the Jewish synagogue and community.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:112.)

It is interesting to note that as early as 73 B.C., all Nephites who belonged to the church of Jesus Christ in the land of Zarahemla were known as Christians (Alma 46:14, 15). In fact, the name of Jesus Christ had been revealed to Jacob and Nephi some five hundred years before his birth, thus leaving the Nephites, at least, in little doubt as to the identity of the Messiah who should save them from their sins. (See 2 Nephi 10:3 and 25:19.)

(30-7) Acts 11:28. Who Was Agabus?

Little is known of Agabus other than that he possessed the gift of prophecy and was a noble Christian. By means of divine inspiration, he foretold a famine during the reign of the emperor Claudius, a fact which both the New Testament and Josephus confirm (Acts 11:28; Josephus, The Life and Works of Flavius Joseph, Antiquities of the Jews 20. 2. 5). Following Paul’s return from his third mission, Agabus also predicted Paul’s future imprisonment and bonds (Acts 21:10, 11).

(30-8) Acts 12:1. Who Was the James Whom Herod Killed?

At least three men are mentioned in the New Testament as bearing the name of James: (1) James, the son of Zebedee and brother of John the beloved apostle, was a member of the original Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He suffered martyrdom at the hands of Herod in the early days of the apostolic ministry. With Peter and John, James served in the First Presidency until his death about A.D. 44. (2) James, the son of Alphaeus and Mary (Acts 1:13; Mark 16:1), sometimes known as James the less, was also a member of the original Quorum of the Twelve. Where he ministered following the resurrection of Jesus is not known. (3) James, the half-brother of Jesus, like his other brothers, did not accept the calling of Jesus while the Savior lived (John 7:1–7). Afterwards he became an apostle. (See Acts 15:13–34; Galatians 1:18, 19; 2:9; and further biographical information on page 404.)

(30-9) Acts 12:1. Who Were Herod and Bernice?

Two of the Herods, father and son, were called Herod Agrippa. They ruled the Jews during the time of Jesus and the apostles. Herod Agrippa I was a grandson of Herod the Great and, unlike those who reigned before him, was a great observer of the law of Moses. In order to keep the favor of the Jews, he put to death James, who was the son of Zebedee, brother of John the Beloved, and an apostle of Jesus Christ (Acts 12). Following his father’s death, Herod Agrippa II was given the tetrarchies formerly held by Philip his brother, and Lysonias, a Roman appointee, and received the title of king (Acts 25:13). Our best picture of him is that provided in the New Testament during his encounter with Paul in the court of Festus (Acts 25:13 through 26:32). His incestuous marriage with his sister Bernice rendered him detestable to the Jews.

Bernice was the oldest daughter of Herod Agrippa I. Her first marriage at a very young age was to her uncle, Herod, king of Chalsis. Following his death about A.D. 48, she married her own brother, Herod Agrippa II. She was present on the occasion when her husband-brother and Festus listened to Paul’s case prior to the latter’s departure for Rome (Acts 25:13, 23; 26:30).

(30-10) Acts 12:4. The Use of the Word Easter

The term Easter as used here by King James translators is an anachronism, for there was no Easter celebration as such for many, many years following the Savior’s death and resurrection. The Greek word pascha, equivalent to the Hebrew payach, translates itself as Passover. Early Christians changed the Hebrew custom of celebrating Passover into their own commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus, whom they regarded as the true Paschal Lamb of God and the first fruits of the resurrection.

(30-11) Acts 12:12. Who Was John Mark?

John Mark, commonly known as Mark, is the author of the Gospel of that name. He was the son of one of the leading women in the early church in Jerusalem. Believers assembled at her home, and Peter returned there after being freed from prison (Acts 12:12–17). John Mark was chosen as a companion of Paul and Barnabas as they left on the first missionary journey (Acts 12:25, 13:5) but for an unnamed reason he left the two brethren about half way into the journey (Acts 13:13). This later became a point of contention between Paul and Barnabas when departing on the second journey. Barnabas wanted to take Mark again, but Paul refused; so they split company and went their separate ways (Acts 15:37–41). Evidently Paul was later reconciled to Mark, for he speaks of him with commendation in his epistles. (See, for example, Colossians 4:10; Philemon 24.) Peter speaks of Mark as his son and as being with him in Babylon—probably Rome. An ancient tradition states that Mark wrote his gospel in Rome, taking his material directly from Peter.

POINTS TO PONDER

GOD IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS

31
“A CHOSEN VESSEL UNTO ME”

THEME

Paul’s call to service on the road to Damascus and his later faithfulness demonstrate how he and all mankind may become chosen vessels unto the Lord.

INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY

(31-1) Acts 9:2, 3, 8. What Was the Importance of Damascus?

Claiming to be the world’s oldest city having continuous habitation, Damascus, present-day capital of Syria, was also in the Roman province of Syria in the days of the apostles. Situated some 130 miles northeast of Jerusalem and approximately 65 miles from the Mediterranean Sea, Damascus lies in the heart of a fertile plain.

The supremacy of Damascus among ancient cities is clearly found in the fact of its location. It was the terminus point for three principal trade routes of the ancient Near East.

Its close proximity to Jerusalem made Damascus a city of great importance to ancient Israel and Judah. (See the map at the beginning of chapter 29.) It was from here that Ahaz, king of Judah, took his pattern for the great altar which he set up in the Jerusalem temple, ostensibly to pacify the victorious king of Assyria, Tiglath-pileser III (2 Kings 16:10–16). In time, the city was destroyed just as God’s prophets had prophesied (Isaiah 17:1; Amos 1:4; Jeremiah 49:23–27). Later is was rebuilt on the same site.

In the present-day Christian quarter of the city is located what is thought to have been the famed street called Straight on which was found the house of one Judas, with whom Paul lived for a time following his conversion. The wall from which Paul was let down in a basket by friends at night so as to escape the infuriated Jews of the city (Acts 9:23–25) is, in all likelihood, that which still surrounds the city. As in the days of Paul, so in our present time; the wares of Damascus are sold openly at the street bazaar. Among the well-known products once produced by the city’s residents were Damascus cloth (damask) and Damascus steel, both treasures to be cherished.

(31-2) Acts 9:4–6. What Are Two Important Lessons We Can Learn from the Accounts of Paul’s Conversion?

“There is a lesson for us all in this Church. Let us, too, recognize the local authority. The bishop may be a humble man. Some of you may think you are superior to him, but he is given authority direct from our Father in heaven. Recognize it. Seek his advice, the advice of your stake presidents. If they cannot answer your difficulties or your problems, they will write to others, the General Authorities, and get the advice needed. Recognition of authority is an important principle.

“The other element in that incident to Paul near Damascus is the great fact that Jesus, our Lord, is interested in his Church, and in the members. As he was interested then, so he is interested today.

“I like to feel that he is watching over us, that he is grieved when we do not comply with the ideals and the standards he has given us in the gospel. He was grieved with Saul, a chosen servant, who was going about blindly to destroy the Church. He is delighted when he finds the brethren whom he has appointed doing their duty and trying to live clean, upright lives, living in accordance with the standards of the gospel.” (David O. McKay in CR, Oct. 1951, pp. 159–60.)

(31-3) Acts 9:5. “It Is Hard for Thee to Kick Against the Pricks”

The reference is to a goad, a sharp spear or stick used to prick the hides of animals to make them move ahead. The tendency when pricked is to kick back, to retaliate, literally “to kick against the pricks.” Such a reaction merely brings added distress and drives the wound deeper while having almost no effect upon the goad itself. Elder David O. McKay, in speaking of Paul’s inner feelings, once wrote:

“Damascus is about one hundred and fifty miles north of Jerusalem, so it would take Saul and his attendants about a week to travel the distance. Perhaps during those few days of comparative leisure, he began to wonder whether what he was doing was right or not. Perhaps the shining face of the dying Stephen and the martyr’s last prayer began to sink more deeply into his soul than it had done before. Little children’s cries for their parents whom Saul had bound began to pierce his soul more keenly, and make him feel miserably unhappy as he looked forward to more experiences of that kind in Damascus. Perhaps he wondered whether the work of the Lord, if he were really engaged in it, would make him feel so restless and bitter. He was soon to learn that only the work of the evil one produces these feelings, and that true service for the Lord always brings peace and contentment.” (Ancient Apostles, p. 120.)

(31-4) Acts 9:8. What Blinded Saul on the Road to Damascus?

“But Saul of Tarsus saw Jehovah, the glorified Christ, and heard his voice and conversed with him. Even partially protected as he was, the brilliance of the light from heaven in which he centered—greater than the noonday sun—Paul collapsed to the earth, trembling, shocked. The voice said: ‘I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. . . .’ (Acts 9:5.)

“So intense and brilliant was the light that even with such protection, he was blinded. He said: ‘And when I could not see for the glory of that light, being led by the hand of them that were with me, I came into Damascus.’ (Acts 22:11.)

“A priesthood miracle restored sight to Paul after three days of total darkness. The glory of the Lord! How great and magnificent!” (Spencer W. Kimball in CR, Apr. 1964, p. 96.)

(31-5) Acts 9:18. Why Was It Necessary for Paul, Who Saw a Vision, to Submit to Baptism?

“Saul [saw] the resurrected Son of God, received visions, [was] the recipient of miracles wrought on his behalf, and yet none of these sufficed to prepare him for church membership or ministerial service. Baptism is the gate for all—Christ, Paul, every accountable person.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:91.)

(31-6) Acts 9:20–22. What New Problems Did Paul Face Following His Conversion?

As soon as he was a member of the church of Jesus Christ, Paul faced two new problems: one stemming from his former relationship with the Jews, the second from his new situation as a follower of Jesus. Prior to his conversion, his work of persecuting the Christians found full acceptance among the Jewish leaders. Following his conversion, he had to face his former friends and associates and declare he had been wrong. “And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:20.) Note the forward nature of his testimony. So incensed were the Jews that they “took counsel to kill him.” (Acts 9:23.)

But what of those who knew Paul formerly as their persecutor? How did they receive his testimony of Jesus? Their reaction must have been similar to that of Ananias who, following his call from Christ to minister to Paul’s needs, said: “Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: And here [i.e., in Damascus] he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on thy name.” (Acts 9:13, 14.) Was his conversion a mere ruse intended to trap those who truly professed the Christian cause? (See Acts 9:20–22.) Time alone could answer this question and show the actuality of Paul’s conversion.

(31-7) Acts 9:27. Who Was Barnabas?

Barnabas was Paul’s missionary companion during his first mission (Acts 9:27). His first recorded service to the church was the selling of his property in accordance with the agreement among early Christians to have all things in common (Acts 4:36). He was a Jew (a Levite, actually) from the island of Cyprus; his surname was Joses or Joseph. At the time that he and Paul encountered the Lycaonians, Barnabas was given the name of Jupiter, most powerful of the Roman gods (Acts 14:12), evidently in token of his commanding manner, his dignified appearance, and his physical prowess. He was called “a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith” (Acts 11:24), was chosen with Paul to take the relief funds to the poor of Judea (Acts 11:29, 30), and was a hard worker who supported himself rather than throw himself upon the church for support (1 Corinthians 9:6). Although he had sharp contention with Paul over the issue of taking John Mark, Barnabas’ nephew, with them on the second journey (Acts 15:36–39), he and Paul were later reconciled. He it was who first sought Paul out after the latter’s conversion by going to Tarsus to induce Paul to join him in the ministry (Acts 11:25, 26). He seems to have been an apostle (Acts 14:4, 14).

POINTS TO PONDER

LIKE SAUL ALL MUST CONFRONT THE LORD

(31-8) Every Knee Will Bow

Sooner or later each of us must face God. Even those who live out their lives without God must one day acknowledge that he is, for “every knee shall bow . . . and every tongue shall confess.” (Romans 14:11.) Of course, for all of us, now is the best time to serve the Lord.

“And, if you sense that one day every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is the Lord, why not do so now? For in the coming of that collective confession, it will mean much less to kneel down when it is no longer possible to stand up!” (Neal A. Maxwell in CR, Oct. 1974, p. 16.)

(31-9) We Have Made Covenants with the Lord

As Latter-day Saints, you have a special relationship with the Lord. Even before the foundations of the world were laid you made commitments to and covenants with the Lord. Of course, these have profound effects on that which you are called to do on earth. Certain it is that Paul didn’t receive the great blessing of seeing the Lord on the merits of that which he had accomplished in mortality alone.

“But why Saul, why this man who hated the Lord and sought to slay his saints? There can be only one answer—pre-existence; Saul had gained the talents and risen to the spiritual stature in the pre-mortal life which qualified him to stand as an apostolic minister of Him who now chastened him on the Damascus road.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:89.)

And so it is with us. Not that all of us have as far to come as did Saul, who was in rebellion, but all of us are influenced by our pre-earth life. President Kimball indicates that we made covenants before we were born. Note his words:

“We made vows, solemn vows, in the heavens before we came to this mortal life. . . .

“We have made covenants. We made them before we accepted our position here on the earth.

“Now we made this commitment, ‘. . . all things whatsoever the Lord our God shall command us.’ We committed ourselves to our Heavenly Father, that if He would send us to the earth and give us bodies and give to us the priceless opportunities that earth life afforded, we would keep our lives clean and would marry in the holy temple and would rear a family and teach them righteousness. This was a solemn oath, a solemn promise. He promised us an eventful mortal life with untold privileges and providing we qualified in the way of righteousness, we would receive eternal life and happiness and progress. There is no other way to receive these rewards.” (“Be Ye Therefore Perfect,” Address given at the University of Utah Institute Devotional, 10 Jan. 1975, p. 2.)

Thus much of what you receive in the pathway of life has been determined by that which went on before. It ought to give you great hope that you have come so far with the Lord. You have already rejected Satan once. You have been added upon with glory. (See Abraham 3:26.)

(31-10) We Determine the Course We Pursue

You have the responsibility of determining your course and then pursuing it steadily to the end. To aid you, the Lord has given some special helps—significant ways you can discover him in mortality, as did Saul.

For one thing, all are born with the light of Christ, which is “the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” (D&C 93:2; see also John 1:9.) It is this that gives you an intense sense of right and wrong. Also, if followed, the light of Christ will lead you to the gospel. This Spirit strove with Amulek and called many times, but “I would not hear . . . I knew . . . yet I would not know.” (Alma 10:6.) It is probable that on the road to Damascus Saul was struggling in the spirit. Elder Howard W. Hunter, speaking of Saul’s state of mind as he journeyed, indicates that Saul’s earlier persecution of the Saints “weighed heavily upon his conscience.” (CR, Oct. 1964, p. 109.) You too have probably felt the Spirit of the Lord striving with you; and if you have heeded, your life, like Saul’s, has been drastically altered.

Parents too have a vital stewardship. Goodly parents often act as angels for us. They help us in the way we should go. Nephi, for example, was led to his testimony because of the vision of his father (1 Nephi 11:1). Paul was a spiritual father to Timothy and led that youth in the way he should go. All of us would be wise to honor our parents by listening to their righteous counsel. Their stewardship over us is recognized by the Lord and his Church; and even if they are not all faithful members of the Church, by divine decree they deserve honor.

The great gift of the Holy Ghost, if you truly receive it, will lighten your way.

Certainly the influence of this “first comforter” is vital to our own personal relationship with God.

Saul illustrates another essential way one confronts the Lord. He was administered to by Ananias, one of the Lord’s servants. As a matter of fact, most blessings come through the administration of others. That is the established pattern in the kingdom of God—blessings, ordinances, ordinations, administrations, and endowments come through others.

As you grow in the gifts of the Spirit, you may discover the Lord more fully. Finally, when you are endowed and married in the temple, the door will have been opened to eventual access to all the mysteries of God if you keep your covenants. All of us will have the privilege of confronting the Lord, each in his own way, each in his own time.

THERE ARE SPECIFIC THINGS THE LORD WOULD HAVE US DO

(31-11) “If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments”

That Saul was willing to ask the Lord what to do and then to do it tells us much of Saul’s character. As has been noted elsewhere, others—Laman, Lemuel—have seen glorious things, even angels (1 Nephi 3:29–31); but their lives were not changed, because, unlike Saul, they would not respond. The Lord deals with specifics, and once we know his will, we should be willing to obey. To do otherwise is to bring upon ourselves condemnation. Alma the Younger had an experience similar to Saul’s when he saw an angel. The record is clear that he would have been “cast off” (Mosiah 27:16) if he had not repented. Once you confront the Lord in such a manner, it would be better not to have known him if your life is not changed (2 Nephi 31:14). Of course, like Saul, you need a specific course to follow; or as the rich young man responded when the Savior told him to keep the commandments, you may ask, “Which?” (Matthew 19:18.)

In order to do what the Lord intends, we must be aware of the specific commandments he has given. Faithful Saints need constantly to examine themselves (1 Corinthians 11:28).

BEING BORN AGAIN TO A NEWNESS OF LIFE

(31-12) Saul “Arose from the Earth,” and So May All of Us

It is written that whatever the Lord does it is for the benefit of man (2 Nephi 26:24). It was so with Saul. After his experience with the Lord, Saul “arose from the earth.” (Acts 9:8.) As a matter of fact, the rest of his life became a testimony to his foreordination to greatness. He later wrote that he could “do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13.) His life is the eloquent testimony of his words. He chronicles some of the happenings of his life—the trials, the blessings, and the glories—in 2 Corinthians, chapters 11 and 12.

Finally, his testimony to Timothy bespeaks his journey to perfection (2 Timothy 4:7, 8). Paul truly had crucified the old man of sin. He was a born-again saint. Saul the persecutor had become Paul the apostle, the saint, the man of God.

(31-13) Will It Make a Difference?

And so in the life of Saul—later, Paul the apostle—we see a prime example of one who was called from before the foundations of the world and, because of his acts in his mortal life, was ultimately chosen and who even attained a relative degree of perfection through Christ. (See Galatians 4:12, Inspired Version.) So may it be with you. You have been called. You will sometime be confronted by the Lord on your own road of life. To progress, you must do as the Lord directs. If you fully arise from the earth, you will come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13) and be, indeed, “a chosen vessel unto the Lord.”

32
“I HAVE SET THEE TO BE A LIGHT OF THE GENTILES”

THEME

Through his servants the Lord extends an invitation to all men to become his chosen people.

INTERPRETIVE COMMENTARY

(32-1) Acts 13:1–14, 26. What Is the Primary Significance of Paul’s First Missionary Journey?

The real significance of Paul’s first missionary journey lies in the fact that it led to the establishment of branches of the church in areas far removed from Jerusalem. Many heard and received the gospel message who could otherwise not have done so. In addition, we have an opportunity to see Paul in his new capacity as a leader and an organizer. He enters a town where there are no members, where most have not so much as heard of Jesus Christ. When he leaves, there is a small but thriving branch of the church commissioned to carry on in his absence. We note also Paul’s eagerness to preach the gospel to all men, regardless of their station or background. When the Jews reject the word of God, Paul turns to the gentiles. (Where did the first missionary journey take Paul? See map section.)

(32-2) Acts 13:6. “They Found a Certain Sorcerer, a False Prophet”

“My enemies say that I have been a true prophet. Why, I had rather be a fallen true prophet than a false prophet. When a man goes about prophesying, and commands men to obey his teachings, he must either be a true or false prophet. False prophets always arise to oppose the true prophets and they will prophesy so very near the truth that they will deceive almost the very chosen ones.” (Smith, Teachings, p. 365.)

(32-3) Acts 13:7. Who Was Sergius Paulus?

He was the Roman proconsul for Cyprus when Paul and Barnabas traveled to the island on the first missionary journey. He is described as a prudent man who requested that Paul and Barnabas preach to him. When he saw the miracle performed by Paul in causing blindness to come upon Elymas, the sorcerer, he “believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.” (Acts 13:12.)

(32-4) Acts 15:1. “Certain Men Which Came Down from Judea”

“They came from the headquarters of the Church, . . . and were good and acceptable brethren; but on the issue of circumcision they erred, teaching false doctrine and not being led by the Spirit. Since the Lord often leaves his servants to struggle with and work out solutions for difficult problems, before they finally receive his mind and voice by revelation, similar situations arise in the Church today. For instance, brethren who go forth today to preach and to confirm the churches sometimes take it upon themselves to advocate political, educational, and social philosophies which seem right to them—on occasions even claiming such are essential to salvation—which in fact are not the voice of God to his people.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:139.)

(32-5) Acts 15:1. “Except Ye Be Circumcised After the Manner of Moses, Ye Cannot Be Saved”

The ordinance of circumcision was instituted by Jehovah himself. It was first given to Abraham and his descendants as a token of the covenant which assured sacred and eternal blessings to all who served the Lord in righteousness (Abraham 2:8–11; Genesis 17). According to the law of Moses, every male child was to be circumcised when he was eight days old (Leviticus 12:3). The prime purpose for the token was to serve as a reminder of God’s covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17:9–14).

Following the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the need for the special token was removed. No longer was the gospel and its blessings exclusively reserved for the Jews; the gospel was for all. In a revelation given to Mormon and recorded in the Book of Mormon, Jesus said: “Little children are whole, for they are not capable of committing sin; wherefore the curse of Adam is taken from them in me, that it hath no power over them; and the law of circumcision is done away in me.” (Moroni 8:8. Italics added.) In the days of Jesus and the apostles it was popular to refer to people as those of the circumcision and those of the uncircumcision, the former as a synonym for the Jews and the latter for the gentiles. (See Galatians 2:7). Although the special Council of Jerusalem settled the question by revelation, Paul still found it necessary to combat the problem wherever he went. Many of his converts were Jewish and insisted that all gentile Christians must also obey the Mosaic rite. Paul made it clear that circumcision for either Jew or gentile was done away in Christ. (See Romans 2, 3, 4; 1 Corinthians 7:19; Galatians 5:6; 6:15; Colossians 2:11; 3:11.)

(32-6) Acts 15:7. Why Did the Lord Speak by Peter’s Mouth?

“Peter [was] the president of the Church; he receive[d] and announce[d] the mind and will of Deity on all matters.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:143.)

(32-7) Acts 15:28. “For It Seemed Good to the Holy Ghost, and to Us”

“In this instance the decision apparently was both reached and ratified by following the revealed procedure used by the Prophet in translating the Book of Mormon. That is, the Lord’s agent struggled and labored with the problem, searched the scriptures, sought for possible conclusions, and did the best they could to solve the problem on the basis of the sound principles which they knew. Having arrived at what they considered to be an appropriate solution—that is, adopting James’ statements which were based on Peter’s announcement of principle—they asked the Lord if their conclusions were true and in accord with his mind. (D. & C. 8 and 9.)” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:144–45.)

(32-8) Acts 15:40. Who Was Silas?

The Silas spoken of in Acts is thought to be the same person as Silvanus of the Pauline letters (2 Corinthians 1:19; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:1). He was prominent among the leaders of the church at Jerusalem. In his own right he was a prophet who preached the gospel (Acts 15:32). With Paul, he delivered to Antioch the decision of the Jerusalem Council concerning the requirements for church membership (Acts 15:1–35). When Paul disagreed with Barnabas, Silas was chosen as Paul’s companion to accompany him on the second missionary journey. His missionary experiences and travels include imprisonment at Philippi, where the jailor and his family were converted (Acts 16:16–40); travels to Thessalonica and then Berea, with a short stay at Berea while Paul went to Athens (Acts 17:1–15); and labors with Paul in Corinth (Acts 18:5; 2 Corinthians 1:19). If, in fact, Silas was the same person as Silvanus, he was the scribe for the book of 1 Peter, and he carried that same letter of Peter’s to Asia Minor (1 Peter 5:12). He may have been a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37).

(32-9) Acts 15:40; 18:18. What Are the Significant Elements of Paul’s Second Missionary Journey?

The church appears to have grown as rapidly in the other portions of the empire as it did in and around Jerusalem. The second missionary journey gave Paul an opportunity not only to revisit the churches founded on his first journey but also to establish others in areas hitherto untouched. Thus was established a practice which was to continue throughout Paul’s work as an apostle: to “visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do.” (Acts 15:36.) But Paul did not always go in person to these places; sometimes he sent Timothy or Titus or Silas. Thus we get a clearer perception not only of his ability as an organizer but of his capabilities as an administrator. It became his practice to follow up visits with letters of commendation or admonition, a method Paul was to use throughout the rest of his life in the service of Christ. Finally, there is much to indicate that Paul enjoyed in great measure the blessings of the Holy Ghost in his ministry, for he received visions and instructions constantly concerning the work and demonstrated the power of God on numerous occasions (Acts 16:7–9, 26; 18:9). See the map section for the travels of Paul on his second journey.

(32-10) Acts 16:16. What Is the Spirit of Divination?

Divination is defined as the act of determining the future by such means as cards, horoscopes, dreams, charms, Ouija boards, seances, crystal balls, and so forth. Soothsaying, or the practice of divination, is an ancient art among the ancients (Isaiah 2:6; Daniel 2:27; 5:11); it was and is forbidden to the Lord’s people (Deuteronomy 18:9–14; Joshua 13:22).

(32-11) Acts 16:30–34. Is Belief on the Lord Jesus Christ All That Is Necessary for Salvation?

“. . . belief alone is scarcely the beginning of that course leading to a celestial inheritance if it is isolated as a thing apart, if it is supposed that it does not embrace within its folds both baptism and a subsequent course of enduring to the end. (2 Ne. 31:15–21.) And in the very case at hand, Paul and Silas teach the gospel to the whole group, baptize them, and without question give them the gift of the Holy Ghost, thus starting them out in the direction of salvation.” (McConkie, DNTC, 2:152.)

(32-12) Acts 17:3. What Is Meant by the Statement That Paul Was “Opening and Alleging” with the Jews?

The word allege as we use it today has a somewhat different meaning from that in use in the days of the King James translators. To us, allege means to assert, to state, to set forth a proposition or thesis, all without proof. But to those of the early seventeenth century, it meant to bring forth proof, to present evidence, to back assertions with facts. Surely Paul would not spend three Sabbaths of precious time merely stating his case for Christ without presenting much supporting evidence.

(32-13) Acts 17:18. What Are Epicureans and Stoics?

Epicureanism was named for Epicurus, who lived just before and after 300 B.C. According to his philosophy, the world came into existence by chance and was without either purpose or design. The highest good to which man could attain was that which brought him the greatest pleasure or the greatest absence of sorrow and pain. Contrary to popular notions then and now, Epicureanism did not advocate wholesale licentiousness as an objective in life, but rather those enjoyments which gave to man the longest and fullest personal satisfactions.

Stoicism, on the other hand, recognized a supreme governing power in the universe. According to this philosophy, all things have been ordered and set in motion by a Divine Mind, and the wise man, the true Stoic, is he who accepts conditions as he finds them rather than changes them to be as he wishes them to be. Such acceptance requires great courage and self-control, for man is locked into a never-ending battle with nature. The body is not a vessel to be punished or catered to; it is to be ignored. In his famous address on Mars Hill, Paul quoted from the “Phaenomena,” a work by Aratus, a Cilician poet: “As certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his [i.e., God’s] offspring.” (Acts 17:28.) Almost these identical words occur in the “Hymn to Zeus” written by Cleanthes. Both men were Stoics. In citing such poets, Paul was probably not attempting to impress his audience with his intellect and training; no doubt he was trying to place himself on a common footing with his listeners in order to gain their confidence and thus win a listening ear for his message.

(32-14) Acts 17:15–34. What Was the Significance of Paul’s Visit to Athens?

The city of Athens, capital of Greece, was one of the wonders of the ancient world. Although in a state of general decline by the time of Paul’s visit, Athens had formerly been the proud possessor of more intellectual genius, more philosophical inquiry, and more architectural splendor than any other city of ancient times. Its inhabitants, even during the period of decline, prided themselves on their brilliant heritage. Vigorous attempts were made to preserve and restore Athens to its former grandeur.

By the time of the first century A.D., Athens was literally a free city-state, privileged to enjoy the protection of Rome. Many of its most noted buildings were still standing. Famed among them was the Agora, or Marketplace. The chief men of the city gathered there each day to hear debates, to conduct the city’s business, to learn, if possible, something new (Acts 17:21). Since Paul’s message was new, he was assured of a crowd from the very first. At length, Paul was conducted to the famed Areopagus [i.e., Mars Hill], with his escorts saying, “May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?” (Acts 17:19.) Although Paul’s message was largely rejected, at least one member of the High Court, Dionysius the Areopagite, and Damaris, a local woman, with others unidentified, believed (Acts 17:34).

(32-15) Acts 17:22. “I Perceive That in All Things Ye Are Too Superstitious”

In describing Paul’s speech on Mars Hill to the Athenians, our King James translation uses two words which might confuse Luke’s intended meanings: superstitious and devotions. Paul is not insulting his Greek audience by accusing them of being too superstitious; rather, he is praising them for being very religious. The reference to their devotions seems to imply that Paul had seen a group of men in Athens in the act of worship. But what he really saw was the objects or the gods that they worshiped. Far from insulting his listeners, the prudent apostle was preparing his audience for a message concerning a God that they knew nothing about.

(32-16) Acts 17:26. Was Paul Teaching About the Premortal Existence When He Spoke of the “Times Before Appointed”?

Here is an important doctrinal point that squares precisely with that taught by Moses, who speaks of how God divided “to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam,” and “set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 32:8.) The doctrinal implication of these scriptures is plain: “If the Lord appointed unto the nations the bounds of their habitation, then there must have been a selection of spirits to form these nations.” (Smith, The Way to Perfection, p. 47.) President Harold B. Lee explained further:

“. . . may I ask each of you again the question, ‘Who are you?’ You are all the sons and daughters of God. Your spirits were created and lived as organized intelligences before the world was. You have been blessed to have a physical body because of your obedience to certain commandments in that premortal state. You are now born into a family to which you have come, into the nations through which you have come, as a reward for the kind of lives you lived before you came here and at a time in the world’s history, as the Apostle Paul taught the men of Athens and as the Lord revealed to Moses, determined by the faithfulness of each of those who lived before this world was created.” (CR, Oct. 1973, p. 7.)

POINTS TO PONDER

THE LORD HAS GIVEN US THE RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP ALL MANKIND BECOME A “CHOSEN PEOPLE”

(32-17) To Be “Chosen” Is to Be “Called”

We as Latter-day Saints are “chosen vessels”—a people entrusted with truths and privileges which are sorely needed in the life of each of our fellow beings. There is a tremendous need for persons willing to do whatever is necessary to share these truths and blessings with our Father’s children, member and nonmember alike.

We need not wait for the Church to extend a formal mission call for us to begin. As we have seen, the call to share our light with others has already been extended, and the assurance that we shall succeed in this most important of labors has been given:

1. We have the fulness of the gospel—knowledge of all the truths, doctrines, and principles needed to teach and prepare a person for salvation and exaltation.
2. If we feel inadequate in our abilities to teach, we should bear in mind that when we are rightfully motivated, we may properly call upon the Holy Ghost to manifest the truthfulness of our testimonies upon the souls of those whom we teach.
3. We labor under the direction of the priesthood, which means that those acts which we perform in righteousness will be accepted and acknowledged by our Father in heaven.

Much like the reassurance given to Paul (Acts 18:10), we are promised that our work and sacrifice will not be in vain, for there are many who await only our testimony to embrace the truth and join in fellowship with the Saints. We should note the call issued to Oliver Cowdery and David Whitmer and liken it unto ourselves: Read D&C 18:9–16.