Chapter Thirty

The week of August 20


Paul's Final Days

Paul was hurrying to go to Jerusalem to bring the Jewish believers an offering to help with the drought they were experiencing. He had missed the connection for Passover but was hoping to make it by Pentecost.

Pp 439-440 Paul met the elders of Ephesus and charged them to shepherd the flock well. There was a sense of foreboding. Paul mentioned that none of them would ever see him again. Later in Caesarea the prophet Agabus demonstrably told Paul that he would be bound and handed over to the Gentiles. The people tried to prevent Paul from going but Paul said he would do the Lord’s will, even if it meant his death.

Pp 441-46 Paul then returned to Jerusalem, the scene of his training under Gamaliel, who gave him his aspiration to follow the Law and root out apostasy in his former days as a Pharisee. But now he was a radically changed person.

Rabble-rousers found a great opportunity as Paul had been seen with Greeks at other parts of the city but not at the Temple. So they rioted and partitioned Paul from getting help until the Roman soldiers rescued him. He asked for the opportunity to speak in Hebrew to the crowd. Paul proceeded to explain how he got to Jerusalem, beginning with his conversion in Damascus. When he reached the part of being sent to the Gentiles, bedlam broke out. Paul's Roman citizenship was helpful to him as the Roman legion again saved him.

Paul had further opportunity to tell his own response to the gospel story. He stood before the Sanhedrin and challenged a major difference between the Sadducees and Pharisees. The latter, like Paul, believe in the personal resurrection of each person's body. Again, a great dispute ensued. Paul was ensured the Lord's protection though an assassination trap had been set. Paul was evacuated to Caesarea by night.

Over two years, Paul appeared before the Roman governors Festus & Felix, as well as King Herod Agrippa II. No one could find fault yet no one would release him. Paul, sensing another plot, used his Roman citizenship and appealed to Caesar. And to Caesar he would go.

Pp 447-52 The centurion in charge of Paul and the prisoners took a liking to Paul on the passage to Rome. After some dangerous sailing they arrived at Fair Havens near Crete. Paul tried to forestall moving forward until Spring but he was overruled. The 276 on board were out at sea in the middle of a multi-week storm. Paul was an encouraging man in the midst of this storm, challenging people to eat and that all would be well. All 276 made it safely.

Washed ashore on an island, the local people trusted Paul as he did not die when a snake wrapped itself around him. He performed some healing miracles and wintered there. Finally arriving in Rome, he was warmly welcomed by believers. Paul was under house arrest for two more years. He used the opportunity to boldly preach the kingdom of God.

Pp 452-6 Paul was in Rome with only a little freedom of movement. People would come to him for teaching and encouragement. He also provided these gifts to other places where he had started churches by writing letters. One of those churches was in Ephesus, where he had spent three years.

His opening chapter was a 23-verse praise to God for what He had done in the life, by the death & resurrection of Jesus Christ. Listen to some of the action words: God chose, holy & blameless, predestined, adoption to sonship, glorious grace, redemption through His blood, forgiveness of sins, riches of God's grace lavished on us, the mystery of His will, bring unity in all things, the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, glorious inheritance, raised Christ from the dead, seated at God's right hand, put all things under His feet, the Head of the church, His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all things. Christ's Identity with the Father overflows to us.

We had been estranged from God as sinners and away from His promises as Gentiles. But Christ has brought the two groups together into one new identity. May we understand what that means. He has given us gifts to live out as believers, and when we do we live out the fullness of Christ.

In practical ways we are to live out our callings in the station of life we are in: toward leaders, economically, as men and women in marriage, and as children. When we do so we parallel the honor Christ has for His Father and the love He has for the church. And there is dangerous spiritual warfare out there: so we are to be careful and use our protective armor.

Pp 456-8 Paul was likely released from his arrest and had freedom to travel with the gospel for about five years. He ultimately was incarcerated in Rome, awaiting his death when he wrote 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus. These were personal, mentor letters to those whom he loved. He spoke of Timothy's value, suffering, and companionship. He challenged Timothy run the good race and fight the good fight. He reminded how the Scriptures, which nurtured Timothy as a young person, were just as powerful to live out as a maturing adult. They are God-breathed and useful in discipling the believer.

Paul died soon after writing 2 Timothy. He had planted the gospel throughout the northern Mediterranean and this was replicated throughout the known world. He wrote 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament. Others wrote with specialized topics: John about love, 5 books; Peter about action, 2 books; Luke historically, 2 books; and five other writers wrote one book each. Together they gave a picture of Jesus and His ministry (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John), the early church (Acts), practical Christian living (the letters) and a peek into the future (Revelation).