Bible Question:
Greetings all; For the next two weeks my pastor will be in Chile and he has asked me to fill in for him at a Bible study he normally leads. We are studying through the book of Acts and while he is gone we will be covering chapters 5 thru 7. Those chapters cover Ananias and Sapphira, establishment of the group of leaders to see to the needs of the people, and Stephen. But beyond these what are some of the things that those of you who wish to answer find most interesting, revealing, encouraging, challenging, admonishing or any other "ings" you can think of in these three chapters. |
Bible Answer: followinghim, Peter's authority is almost frightening displayed in the scene with Annais and Sapphira. It is also displayed in his ability to heal and the fact that the people evn try to be in his shadow when he passes. It is again displayed when he speaks for the Apostles before the high priest. The Holy Order of the Deaconate is established. Stephen is on of the first Deacons and is the first or proto-martyr of the new Church. He recaps salvation history in his speech and alludees to Jesus' Ascension and at the same time prefigures the Second Coming in his reference to to Daniel 7. Signs and wonders in Acts 5 are reminicient(Acts 7:36) to those displayed in Exodus (Ex 7:3; 11:10; Deut 6:22; 26:8) Paul (Saul) is introduced at the stoning of Stephen. Emmaus |