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NASB | John 3:11 "Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | John 3:11 "I assure you and most solemnly say to you, we speak only of what we [absolutely] know and testify about what we have [actually] seen [as eyewitnesses]; and [still] you [reject our evidence and] do not accept our testimony. |
Subject: When were disciples born again? |
Bible Note: Hi Mark, Thanks for asking for my input, I’m humbled. Here are my initial thoughts as we consider this passage. Acts must be understood in context and its’ purpose within scripture needs to be defined as well. I believe it to be a Narrative, giving the functioning of the early church and a “bridge”- if you will- between the Gospels and Epistles. It sets forth the transition between Peters’ ministry (to the circumcised) Jews and Paul- the Apostle to the Gentiles (the uncircumcised). Its’ primary focus is not doctrinal, that is setting forth the practice and operation of the Church for all time! It is transitional and may be better termed, “The Acts of the Holy Spirit!” In this regard, William Ramsay in “St. Paul the Traveller” makes this observation: “We must face the facts boldly. If Luke wrote Acts , his narrative must agree in a striking and convincing way with Paul’s: they must confirm, explain and complete one another. If ever there was a case in which striking agreement was demanded by historical criticism between two classes of documents, it is between the writings of Paul and of Luke.” The Bible Knowledge Commentary has this to say about Acts: “Among the New Testament writings, Acts stands out as singular and unique. This claim is made on the basis of several considerations. For one, it is the only historical sequel to the four Gospels in the canonical writings. No other narrative in the New Testament continues the accounts given by the four evangelists. Furthermore, this book forms a background and setting for most of Paul’s writings. Bruce writes, “But it is Luke that we have to thank for the coherent record of Paul’s apostolic activity. Without [Acts], we should be incalculably poorer. Even with it, there is much in Paul’s letters that we have difficulty in understanding; how much more there would be if we had no Book of Acts” (F.F. Bruce, Commentary on the Book of the Acts, p. 27). In addition, Acts marks the transition from the work of God provincially among the Jews to His establishment of the universal church. In a real sense the reader goes from Jerusalem to the uttermost part of the world in these 28 chapters.” Some thoughts from two Commentaries I checked may add to our understanding of the passage in question, Acts 8:14-17: 1. D.A. Carson writes in The New Bible Commentary, “Perhaps because mission work among the Samaritans had not been planned beforehand, the news of it seemed to take the apostles in Jerusalem by surprise, and they sent out Peter and John to investigate. Similarly, Barnabas was sent to investigate Gentile converts in Antioch (11:22) and, immediately prior to that, Peter was interviewed about the conversion of the Gentile Cornelius (11:1–18). 15–17 It is probably that latter passage that helps to explain why the gift of the Holy Spirit came so long after the Samaritans’ baptism. In the light of 2:38, 10:48 and 19:5, it is highly unlikely that baptism in the name of Jesus was regarded as inferior to baptism in the full three names of the Trinity. Nor is it likely that the laying on of hands by the apostles was a necessity for the reception of the Holy Spirit (see e.g. 10:44–48; 16:30–34; and 13:3, where it was the congregation that laid hands on the apostles in expression of the unity that the Holy Spirit brings). In 11:15–17, however, Peter understood the giving of the Holy Spirit to Cornelius and his people as God’s sign that the Gentiles were to be accepted as full members of the Christian community (see on 11:1–18). Similarly, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon these first Samaritans converts was proof of their equality with the Jerusalem believers; proof, we might add, to the Jerusalem apostles as well as to the Samaritans. It is, of course, delightful that John, who once wanted to call down the fire of judgment on a Samaritan village (Lk. 9:54), was one of those who was now calling down the Holy Spirit!” 2. The IVP Background Bible Commentary says, “8:14–15. From a theological standpoint, the work of the Spirit is one package (2:38–39), but in the experience of the church not all aspects of his work are necessarily manifested simultaneously. Luke emphasizes the prophetic-empowerment dimension of the Spirit so much that he rarely mentions other aspects of the Spirit’s work known in the Old Testament and early Judaism; this prophetic-empowerment aspect is no doubt in view here, although Philip’s hearers were already converted in 8:12. “ I hope this sufficiently answers your question on this somewhat difficult topic. BradK |